Keeping enemies close
by sezza43
Summary: A stalker wants her dead. What will she do when she finds out that the killer is actually a close friend? Secrets from the past are revealed and a new love is born. (M&M) Complete
1. Chapter one

**Title: **Keeping enemies close

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Roswell or it's characters, nor do I own ET, MTV or any of the lyrics written.

**Rating**: PG/R

**Spoilers**: None, its AU

**Pairing**: Michael/Maria with some Kyle/Tess

**Summary**: A stalker wants her dead. What will she do when she finds out that the killer is actually a close friend? Secrets from the past are revealed and a new love is born. 

**Distribution**: Belit's site, Kraving Candy, Candy is Dandy, Aliens love and Roses, Second in Command, Fanfiction.net, Roswell Desert Skies, Ally's site, and if anyone else wants it, all you have to do is ask.

**Author's note**: This is in response to a challenge issued at Belit's planet called Bodyguard. As I was reading it all these thoughts just entered my head so I couldn't not write it. Remember when reading this that I intend this fic to have a sequel so there will be many questions but all with eventually be answered. This is in no way related to the movie. Feedback is appreciated, as is honesty.  Challenge can be found here: ****

**Email**: sezza43@hotmail.com

Prologue 

I just wanted to be happy; to marry the man of my dreams and have the perfect family, but could _you_ let that happen? No. He was mine long before he was yours, or hers should I say. You had the perfect man but gave him up for a career you won't have for much longer. I kept my anger in as I thought that maybe…maybe I'd still get my chance, but no. You had to bring _her_ into the picture. I don't hate her-- but you-- I hate you. You fucked it all up. You destroyed everything I worked so hard for, so now… now I destroy you.

Chapter one 

_It's the first time I've ever felt this lonely _

_Wish someone could cure this pain_

_It's funny when you think it's gonna work out_

_Till you chose weed over me you're so lame!_

_I though you were cool until the point_

_Up until the point you didn't call me when you said you would_

_Finally figured out your all the same_

_Always coming up with some kind of story_

_Every time I try to make you smile_

_You're always feeling sorry for yourself_

_Every time I try to make you laugh_

_You can't you're too tough_

_You think you're loveless_

_Is that too much that I'm asking for?_

_Thought you'd come around when I ignored you_

_Sorta thought you'd have the decency to change_

_But babe I guess you didn't take that warning_

_Cause I'm not about to look at your face again_

_Can't you see that you lie to yourself?_

_You can't see the world through a mirror_

_It won't be too late when the smoke clears_

_Cause I am still here_

_Every time I try to make you smile_

_You're always feeling sorry for yourself_

_Every time I try to make you laugh_

_You can't your too tough_

_You think you're loveless_

_Is that too much that I'm asking for?_

Maria breathed heavily as she finished her song and waved to the crowd before departing the stage. Walking down the stairs to the dressing rooms, she was instantly bombarded by camera flashes, blinding her as she tried to walk through them. Performing she loved, but this… this was too much. 'Just breathe and smile' she told herself as her bodyguard, Bob, helped her to pass through the crowd of people wanting a glimpse of America's newest singer. She never in her wildest dreams thought, that at the age of 19, she -- Maria Deluca -- would be famous. Her childhood dream becoming a reality, but it did. 

"This way Miss Deluca," Bob said as he ushered her through a backstage door. She mumbled 'thanks' as they approached her dressing room door and let herself in while Bob stood guard outside. She breathed a sigh of relief as she sat in her chair that faced the vanity, putting her head in her hands she laughed softly. She was a famous singer, something she always wanted but still couldn't be completely happy. There was something missing, something that needed to fill the void in her heart. 

"Or someone," she whispered to herself. Being famous and in high demand left little to no social life. She had hardly any real friends except the ones she had at home, and no boyfriend to speak of. She may be living out her dreams, but she was living them out alone. Her head rose as she heard a knock at the door. "Come in," she yelled.

"Hi Maria, great performance they loved you." Liz gushed as she handed Maria some mail that she had with her. Maria smiled; Liz Parker was the only real friend she had with her. She and Liz had grown up together and when Maria hit it big, she took Liz on as her manager. "After you get changed, ET want to do an interview with you," she stopped talking when she saw Maria's grimace and smiled. "Just a small one I promise, then we can head home." 

"Ok, I think I can handle that." Maria said as she sorted out the mail. Her eyes stopped on an unmarked blue envelope. "What's this?" she asked Liz as she held it up to inspect it. Liz shrugged and told her to open it. Ripping open the flap she pulled out a white letter and with it, a photo. She held the photo up and gasped. 

"What?" Liz asked in confusion. Maria handed her the photo and Liz paled when she saw it. The photo was of Maria at a recent concert; she was on stage holding a microphone, only her head was missing. She looked up at Maria. "What does the note say?"

Maria opened it and read:

_Watch your back, Maria._

Liz blinked. "Is that all?" Maria nodded and handed it to her. All of the letters had been cut out of magazine articles and there was no signature or anything. Liz turned and opened the dressing room door and asked Bob to join them. Once the hefty man was in the room Liz gave him the letter and photo. "What do you make of that?" she asked.

The bodyguard shrugged. "It looks like the all the others that have been sent. I haven't seen anyone near here but I can ask Manny if there was anyone suspicious hanging around the mail locker." Liz nodded and Bob left. Turning back towards Maria, Liz sighed and sat on the chair in front of her. Maria still looked pale and had gone quiet, which was very rare for her best friend.

"Maria, sweetie…it's ok." She took the blondes hand in hers. "Look, Bob is looking into it don't worry. We'll find this asshole and he'll be very sorry he messed with Maria Deluca." Maria offered a weak smile and turned to her mirror.

"This is the 7th one he's sent in the past month Liz, how can you say that it's nothing. Not to worry?" Liz was about to speak when Maria cut her off and continued. "I think that I need someone else here to look into this."

"Who?" The brunette asked as she sat back in her seat. Maria touched a photo that was placed on her desk. Liz too glanced at it and knew whom she was talking about. "Kyle?" Maria nodded. "Why Kyle? I mean, Bob is pretty good, you don't need to get Kyle all the way up here do you?"

Sighing, Maria stood and went to her rack of outfits. "I think I do Liz, sure Bob is good, but he's not enough. I think that this person is close and I need someone I trust completely to handle this and there is no one that I trust more, besides you of course," Maria said with a smile that Liz returned, "than Kyle." Liz nodded in understanding.

"Ok, I'll call your brother tomorrow morning and ask him to come here." Maria grinned and hugged Liz tightly as she thanked her over and over again. "Now get dressed so we can do this interview and go home." Maria nodded and Liz left the room to give the girl some privacy to change. As she walked down the corridor, she passed Bob, who was on his way back to the room. "Did you find anything?" 

Bob shook his head. "No, no one saw anything, what do you want me to do?" Liz thought for a moment.

"Just go and stand guard at her door, she wants me to contact her brother to look over this. It's becoming serious and she's scared, as am I for that matter. This guy seems serious." Bob nodded then continued his way down the hall as Liz walked into a room filled with a camera crew. She smiled at the interviewer. "She'll be with you shortly."

*~*~*~*

Roswell, the next morning 

Kyle walked into his office and laughed as he saw his partner, once again, be lectured by a member of his family. Taking a seat at his desk, he went through the agenda for the day. 

"I mean it Michael…Michael? Damn it Michael, are you even listening to me?" Laurie asked. When she still received no reply, she whacked him upside the head. Michael winced and gave a, 'What the hell?' look. "Listen to me next time." She said with her hands on her hips. "Now as I was saying…"

Michael once again tuned his sister out. She was yakking on about him getting into the 'dating game' as she put it. So what if he hadn't had a date in over a year? It wasn't like he didn't have any offers; he got them all the time actually. Only the offerees weren't exactly his type. At the ripe old age of 25, Michael Guerin was looking for a commitment, not just some good one-night fuck. He'd been there and done that, now he wanted to settle down. Finding the right girl however had proven to be rather difficult.

"…So I think that… Michael? Oh my god, that's it. I give up!" Laurie yelled as she threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Maybe I should just sick Isabel on you, maybe you'd listen to her." An evil smile spread across her face as Michael visibly paled. She opened her bag and pulled out her phone. As she dialed the numbers, Michael reached up and snatched the phone out of her hands.

"No don't, fine I'll think about it ok?" Michael said as he switched the phone off. Having one sister on his case was bad enough but two? Hell no, two was worse. "Why do you want me to date so bad anyway?" 

Laurie shrugged. "You have like, no life Michael. You're a 25-year-old bodyguard slash police officer, with no girlfriend or even prospects. Michael you need to start thinking about the future." Michael rolled his eyes.

"Sis, I have a life, I actually happen to like my life. So get of my case ok? If I find the girl that I want to spend the rest of my life with, then I find her. If I don't, then I don't. Look Laurie, I appreciate your help but could you stop? It's my life and I will handle it the way I want to." Laurie sighed and nodded in defeat.

"Fine. I was only trying to give you some advice." Michael smiled at her and ushered her out the door.

"And I appreciate it, but as Kyle and I actually have work to do, you have to leave. I'll see you later." As Laurie turned to speak again, Michael shut the door in her face and Kyle effectively burst into laughter when they heard an annoyed huff on the other side then very angry footsteps walk away. Michael flopped back in his desk chair. "Thank god."

Kyle shook his head. "Man I'm glad I don't have your sisters as family. I don't think I could handle it." Michael closed his eyes and groaned as Kyle continued to laugh at his expense. He and Kyle had been friends for a few years now, they met when they were in the Police Academy and had been friends ever since. After about one year in the force however, neither had thought the job to be what they wanted and decided to become bodyguards. They ran their own company in Roswell, New Mexico but handled cases all over America. They were vastly becoming very famous among the rich and powerful and had many others working for them. 

"Shut up Kyle, I don't need shit from you too." Kyle held up his hands in mock offence and tried to stamp down his laughter when he heard the phone ring.

"Hello?" 

"Kyle? It's Liz," a cheery voice answered on the other line. 

Kyle looked surprised, why was Liz calling him? "Liz? Hey how's it going? Maria not working you too hard is she?" he laughed as an image of Maria ordering Liz around popped into his head.

"No, did you see her on TV? Wasn't she great?"

"Sure was, she really fits into the famous singer role huh?" he stated more than asked. He, his wife and children had all watched her at the MTV awards on the weekend and she was indeed amazing. He always knew she could sing but had no idea how good she actually was. His three-year-old daughter kept saying all night that she wanted to be just like Auntie Ria when she grows up.

"She was born for it. But onto why I called. Look, ah well you see the thing is," she hesitated.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Spit it out Liz."

"Maria's been receiving threatening mail and she wants you to come down here and sort it all out." She said in a rush. "She's really scared Kyle."

Sitting up straight in his chair, he became more interested in the conversation. "How long has this been going on?" Michael shot him a curious look from across the desk.

"Look, I'll tell you the finer details when you get here, you can though right?"

"Yeah, I'll bring someone with me. I can be there by tonight."

"Ok, thank you Kyle, Maria will be happy. See you then."

Kyle hung up the phone and cursed under his breath. "What's going on?" Michael asked.

"My sister, Maria, has been getting threats and she wants me to look over it, can you come with me?" Michael nodded as Kyle walked to the door and called Danny in. "Danny, Michael and I need to leave for a case and I don't know how long it will take so you're in charge until further notice." Danny nodded then left the room to make the necessary arrangements.

"So where are we going anyway?" Michael asked. Kyle had talked about his sister a lot and shown him pictures and what not but he had never met her, or heard her sing. He didn't get around to watching TV much and tended to stick to heavy metal when it came to music. 

Looking through his desk drawers for some papers Kyle muttered to himself, "I need to call Tess," then turned to Michael. "Huh? Oh yeah, she lives in LA. Pack to stay for at least a week or two, I don't know how long it'll take." When Kyle found what he was looking for he turned to Michael. "Go home and pack, I'll pick you up in two hours." Giving Kyle a curt nod, Michael headed out. Looks like he was going to LA.

TBC


	2. Chapter two

Chapter two 

****

****

Michael sighed as the cab pulled up to the Mansion. 'Great,' he thought. 'She may be Kyle's sister but she's a snob.' He hated jobs like this, the person always seemed way too polished and thought they were above everyone else. That and they tended to overdramatise their situations. More than likely this 'stalker' was just an over zealous fan.

Letting out a low whistle, Kyle stepped out of the cab after paying the driver. "I should visit more," he said as he picked up his bag. He and Michael walked over to the gates and watched as they opened and a voice said to enter. Reaching up to knock on the door, Kyle was shocked as a small blonde figure jumped on him.

"Kyle!" She cried as she jumped into his arms, almost knocking him over. Kyle laughed and hugged her back.

"Sis, what are you trying to do to me huh?" He let go of her but kept one arm around her waist as he turned her to Michael.

Michael's breath caught in his throat. The person who stood before him was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She had long blonde hair, piercing green eyes, luscious lips, legs that went on for ages and a perfect figure. She walked towards him and he almost fainted when she smiled. She was perfect.

"Maria, this is my partner Michael, Michael, this is my sister Maria." Maria stuck her hand out for him to shake and he grasped it firmly. They both drew a quick breath, feeling electricity course through their bodies at the small touch. Michael lifted his gaze and met the most amazing set of piercing green eyes he had ever seen. They were beautiful. She was beautiful.

Kyle frowned when he noticed the looks between the two. Maybe bringing Michael wasn't such a good idea after all. Suddenly Liz appeared at the door and ushered them all inside. Making themselves comfortable on the sofa, Kyle decided to find out what was going on. "So, want to tell me why I'm here?"

Glancing at Liz and taking a breath, Maria started to speak. "I've been receiving threatening letters in the mail recently and I've also had a few phone calls, you know the heavy breathing ones?" Kyle nodded and she handed him the letters and photos. She pointed to the most recent of them. "I got that one last night." Kyle handed the letters to Michael before standing and pacing around the room.

"Why the hell didn't you contact me earlier Maria? This is serious, this person isn't just some stalker, he wants you dead." Maria shrugged.

"I didn't think it was really important before and I had my own bodyguards with me but they've been coming up with nothing. At first it was just the phone calls but now they're sending photos. Kyle, this person has been following me everywhere." She said as she stood. "I didn't mention it sooner because I didn't think it cause for concern but now…now he's scaring me." Kyle sighed and pulled his sister into his arms. 

"Don't worry sis, we'll find the jerk who's doing this ok?" Nodding, Maria whispered a thank you into his chest as he hugged her tighter. Some asshole was after his sister and there was no way in hell he was going to let anything happen to her. He turned to Michael who was still looking over the letters and photos. "What do you think?"

Looking up, Michael shrugged. "I don't know yet." He glanced at Maria. "We'll need a list of everyone that you talk to, anyone you think might have some kind of grudge against you, and everyone that you work with. We'll also set up a tracking device on your phones in case this person calls again." 

"I'll go start the list," Liz said and walked into another room. Michael motioned to where Liz had walked off.

"Who is she to you?" Maria looked at him then up to Kyle.

"She's Liz Parker, my best friend and manager. Kyle and I have known her all our lives, she used to live in Roswell too." She told him then furrowed her brows. "Why?"

Michael shook his head. "Just curious." He said as he went back to glancing over the letters. "Parker, does her family own the Crashdown?" 

"Yeah, Jeff is her dad, she and I used to work there." Maria narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you always live in Roswell?" Michael nodded. "Well how come I've never seen you?"

"I went to East Roswell High and we had our own Diner near it so we went there. I moved onto the west side with my sisters a few years ago." Maria made an 'o' shape with her mouth as she nodded. He looked at her. "So you're famous huh?" Maria looked at him with a shocked look set upon her face and Kyle tried not to laugh. Almost everyone knew who Maria was, but Kyle also knew Michael and knows that he would rather die than listen to Maria's music genre. Michael gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, don't get around to reading chick mags or watching TV much." 

Maria narrowed her eyes. "Chick mags? A bit sexist don't you think?" Michael mumbled a 'Whatever' and Maria rolled her eyes. "Listen, let me show you to your rooms." She told them as they followed her into the lobby and up the stairs. "So Kyle how's Tess and the kids?" Kyle smiled as he started to think about his wife. They had gotten married three years ago and had two children.

"Tess is great, Liam is a terror and Kara wants to be just like you when she grows up." Maria grinned when she heard the last bit. "So besides this, how have you been?" Maria sighed.

"I've been ok, I mean, singing is great and all but I don't know. I miss everyone." Kyle nodded as they reached the top of the stairs. "I think that after the tour, I want to go home and visit for a while, what do you think?"

Kyle thought for a moment. "When does the tour finish?" Maria told him that it ended in two weeks. "Cool, well Michael and I will stay here until then, and look into this case, then after the two weeks, you can come back to Roswell with us. Hopefully we'll have this fucker before then." Maria nodded.

"Sounds great, I'll tell Liz, later. I'm sure she's missing home too. Ok Kyle, this is your room," she said pointing to a door before turning to Michael, "And this is yours." She said pointing to another room. Michael ducked his head inside inspecting the room before nodding in approval.

"Where's your room?" He asked innocently and Maria gave him a suspicious look. Michael raised his hands. "Just for safety purposes, wouldn't want this sicko attacking in the night then have to search every room looking for you." Maria gave him a 'yeah right' look before pointing to the room across from his. 

"Mine's there and Liz's is two doors down." She said motioning down the hall. Michael gave her a strange look. "What?" 

Michael pursed his lips together. "Liz lives here too?" Maria nodded, silently asking why. Michael shrugged. "Curious is all." Maria rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.

"I'm going to help Liz with that list, you guys make yourselves at home." Kyle nodded and waved as she headed back down the stairs. 

Turning to Michael, Kyle asked, "What's with all the questions about Liz?" Michael shrugged not giving an answer. Kyle narrowed his eyes. "Ok then, what was with those looks you were giving my sister?"

"What looks?" Michael asked with false innocence. He was not about to tell Kyle how hot he thought his sister was. He valued his life. "I haven't given her any looks, you're just imagining things." Kyle was about to object but Michael cut him off with a change of subject. "Let's go set those bugs up." Kyle sighed and nodded.

He knew that Michael wasn't telling him something but let it drop for now. They had work to do. Maria's safety came first.

*~*~*~*

"What looks? I wasn't giving Michael any looks," Maria said as she entered the living room, Liz on her heels, "and besides, I think he has a crush on you." Liz froze and stared at Maria wide-eyed.

"Why do you say that?" She asked when she could again move. The thought that Michael could have a crush on her was…well it was preposterous. He was so not her type and there were definite vibes going on between him and Maria. 

Maria shrugged. "He was just asking questions about you, I don't know. He is cute though huh?" Liz nodded as she got a strange look on her face. Maria was about to question her but Kyle, followed by Michael, came into the room. Kyle asked where the phone was and headed towards it as Michael pulled out tracking devices from a bag. "You like your rooms?"

Kyle nodded. "Yeah they're great. We've bugged the phones upstairs and the one in the kitchen. Is this the last one?" he asked as he started adding the equipment to the receiver. Maria nodded and Liz went to get some drinks. As she walked back into the room, she placed the glasses on the table and her jacket sleeve rose. Michael eyed the piece of jewellery there. It was a plain silver chain with some charms hanging off it.

"Nice bracelet."

Startled, Liz looked up at him. "Ah yeah, my brother bought it for me a few years ago. I never take it off." She said as she pulled her sleeve back down. Michael glanced over to Maria who gave him a weird look before walking out of the room. He looked at Kyle who was still bugging the phone, before getting up to follow her. 

Maria jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and came face to face with a pair of incredibly intense looking eyes. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Trying to give me a heart attack?" Michael grinned and stepped back.

"Nope, just a mild stroke." Maria rolled her eyes and he chuckled. "Do you have that list for us yet?" Maria nodded and handed him the list. As he read it, Maria took in his profile. He was beautiful. He had a strong jaw, great muscle tone and from what she could see before, a cute little scar above his left eyebrow, which she yearned to touch. Michael lifted his gaze off the paper to Maria and noticed her staring.

"What?"

Blushing at having been caught, Maria tried changing the subject. "So what do you think of Liz?" He gave her a questioning look, so she continued. "You know, it's just you were asking questions about her, I thought that you might, I don't know…like her?" Michael burst into laughter and Maria furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Me? Like Liz?" Michael asked trying to contain his laughter. "No, I don't like Liz. No offence but she's ah… not my type. Too boring looking, and no body either." He told her then smirked. "Why? You jealous?"

Maria scoffed. "Of what? You?" Michael nodded and Maria laughed. "No, sorry but you're not my type." Michael nodded but stepped closer to her. Maria took a step back and hit the bench. Michael brought his arms to either side of her, effectively trapping her and leant in close to her ear. 

"That's a pity," he whispered then backed away when Kyle called out to him. Maria watched as Michael walked out of the room and started to breathe again. She hadn't even realised that she was holding her breath and now felt cold since he removed his body from hers. 'Did he just flirt with me?' she asked herself before shaking her head and walking out the same door he just did. 

*~*~*~*

Later that afternoon Maria walked onto her balcony where she liked to sit and write songs. She found the view from her bedroom to be beautiful and it was just so peaceful. As she sat on the wicker chair she gazed into the distance and breathed in the fresh air before opening her notepad. She started to sing what she already had.

_She's his yellow brick road_

_Leading him on_

_And letting him go as far as she lets him go_

Going down to nowhere 

Putting the pen to her mouth she closed her eyes and let the music flow through her head as she placed more words onto her paper.

_She puts on her make-up_

_The same as she did yesterday_

_Hoping everything's the same_

But everything has changed 

"That's a nice song." Maria jumped as the person behind her spoke. She turned her head and glared at Michael who now had a smirk on his face.

"Do you get some sick pleasure out of sneaking up on me?" Michael chuckled and shook his head. He was about to comment when the cordless phone next to Maria rang. She held up her hand for him to be silent.

"Hello?" She asked into the phone. Upon receiving no answer she greeted them again with a sterner voice. "Hello?"  Michael's expression became serious at that and he grabbed the phone off Maria and listened. All he heard was breathing. Saying a gruff 'Who is this?' into the phone, the other person hung up. "It was the same as the others I've gotten." Maria said after he handed the phone back to her. "They call and all I hear is breathing."

Michael pursed his lips together. "I'll go downstairs and see if Kyle traced it but I don't think he did. They weren't on the phone long enough." Maria nodded and jumped out of her chair saying that she was going with him. As they headed down the staircase they heard a muffled voice curse followed by a loud crash. Michael turned the corner and watched as Kyle jumped around the living room holding his foot. "Kyle?"

Turning to his friend, Kyle stopped jumping and sat on a sofa. "Stupid thing," he said pointing to one of the broken devices that lay on the floor, "it's broken and when I picked it up, I dropped it and it landed on my foot. Useless piece of--"

"How can it be broken?" Michael asked, cutting off Kyle's swearing. "I checked it earlier and it was all working." He walked over to the box and held it at eye level. Taking off the cover he looked inside to see that all the wires had been cut or ripped out of its place. "How the hell did this happen Kyle?" 

He shrugged. "I don't know man. I pulled it out of the bag, went to the car to grab a tool I had left, and when I came back, it was broken." Michael turned to Maria and asked her who was currently in the house.

"Just us, Liz and a few maids. Why?" She asked, then upon realising what he was suggesting she shook her head. "No, no! I trust everyone that is in this house and they would not have done it. My servants would not have done such a thing." Michael looked away and cricked his neck. It wasn't the servants he was thinking of. At that moment Liz came into the room.

"What's going on?" She asked. Maria explained what had happened to the equipment and Liz gasped. "Who would do such a thing? Are you sure it wasn't already broken before you got here? I mean all of Maria's help are incredibly trustworthy. Maybe you didn't check it properly." Michael slowly nodded and mumbled a quick 'Maybe' before scratching his head.

"How important was that piece anyway?" Maria asked. 

Kyle picked it up and placed it back in the bag. "Very, it was the thing that would tell us where the calls were coming from. Now all the bugs are useless." 

"Well what does that mean? Were they the only things you had to work with?" Maria asked getting worried. Kyle shook his head.

"No but it would have helped. Now we just resort to some old fashioned detective work." He said with a smile and Maria rolled her eyes. "You're lucky Michael and I used to be cops." 

Maria turned to face Michael who had been standing behind her. "Cop huh? How long have you two known each other exactly?" Michael shrugged and told her they had met a few years ago. "Oh," she said. "So did you quit the cop jig for the same reason Kyle did?" Michael nodded. "How do you get bored being a cop?" Maria wondered out loud and Kyle chuckled.

"Roswell is not really known for its high in crime rating. There was nothing to do." He said standing back up. "Ok, so Michael, you have that list they wrote up?" Michael nodded. "Right, well we'll start going through it and talking to the people on it."

"Sounds good," he said as he pulled the said list out of his pocket. "The first name we have is Mary. Who is Mary?"

"Mary's one of our friends, a back up singer on the tour." Liz told him. Michael asked why she was on the grudge side. "Well I have overheard her tell a few people that she'd love to be where Maria is and would do anything she could to get it. I also heard from a few people that she has been saying a few bad words about Maria. She's one of those, 'Friend to your face but stabs you in the back' type of people."

Maria furrowed her brow in confusion. "How come you never told me this?" Liz opened her mouth to try to explain but was saved when Courtney, one of Maria's maids entered the room. She announced that there was some mail and handed it to Maria who mumbled a thank you before turning and sifting through it. "Bill, Bill, Bill." She said throwing them onto the nearby desk. 

Michael rolled his eyes at Liz who kept on talking about this Mary girl whom she thought might be worth talking to. Kyle smirked at his partner before looking over towards the corner that Courtney had previously left in. He noticed that she hadn't in fact left, but was standing by the door staring at Michael with a look of lust on her face. Kyle's eyebrows rose as he glanced at Michael who didn't seem to notice anything in the room but Maria. He then shifted his gaze back to Courtney who jumped and scurried away after catching Kyle's eye, knowing that she had been caught. 'I'll have to keep my eye on that one.'

The last letter in the pile that Maria had been looking through was another unmarked blue envelope. Upon reading its contents she gasped. Michael walked up behind her and took the letter out of her hands and read it aloud.

_You think those bodyguards will stop me Maria? Think again._

Maria grew pale and swayed a little where she stood. Michael grabbed her shoulders and leant down near her ear. "It's ok, we'll find this asshole." He said with so much conviction that Maria couldn't help but believe. Maria nodded and became a little shocked when Michael didn't release her upper arms but was now rubbing them gently in a comforting manner. 

Flushing red, Maria stepped forward making Michael drop his arms. She couldn't push down the disappointment that shone through at the loss of his touch, but all she wanted to do now was lie down. One of her headaches was vastly approaching. Michael coughed a little from behind her then stepped forward. "Kyle we should look around the grounds, check with everyone and ask if they saw anyone near the mail box." Kyle nodded and they headed for the door.

Liz turned to Maria. "Why don't you go lay down for a bit, I'll bring up some painkillers later." Maria smiled graciously and left the room as Liz went to the kitchen. Michael stayed in the living room for a while longer staring at his hands. They still tingled from when he touched Maria. Her skin had felt so soft against his, so right. Shaking his head, he swivelled around and started to walk in the direction that Liz had left in. He had a few questions to ask the girl. Kyle could search the grounds by himself.

Outside, Kyle slapped his forehead after realising that he left the list that Maria had written inside by the coffee table. As he glided back into the room be heard a hushed voice in the shadows.

"Where are you now?" The voice, obviously female, said. "Good, don't do anything else until I call you again ok?" Kyle furrowed his brows. Could this voice belong to the stalker? "Uh huh, we'll wait a few days before going ahead with the rest of the plan. She'll never suspect a thing." Kyle's jaw dropped as he heard the last sentence and watched as Courtney, the maid who brought in the mail, left the shadows and hurried into the dining room with Kyle, hot on her trail. 

TBC

Thanks for the reviews; Oh and I forgot to mention that this fic is part of a trilogy. This is Part 1 of 'The Bodyguard Trilogy'. When it is finished I will post Part 2, which is titled 'Doing it for love'. This part will leave unanswered questions but that is expected with a trilogy fic. All will eventually be revealed so keep reading. –Sarah.


	3. Chapter three

Chapter three 

Michael followed Liz into the kitchen where he found her pouring a couple of pills from a bottle on the bench top. "What are you doing?"

She turned and gasped in surprise, not having heard him enter the room. "Oh, Maria has a headache so I'm taking her these pills. She gets them a lot when she's stressed." Michael nodded and walked around to sit on one of the stools. Liz's eyes followed him the entire time trying to work out what it is that he was doing there. "Is there something I can help you with? I mean, shouldn't you be with Kyle doing… I don't know, bodyguard things?"

"Bodyguard things?" he smirked and shook his head. "No, Kyle can handle all of that on his own for now, I wanted to talk to you." Liz placed the bottle back on the bench and waited for him to continue. "Why did you take the job of Maria's manager? I heard that you had a chance to go to Harvard. Why turn that down just to sit back and watch your best friend gradually get famous?"

Liz narrowed her eyes at him. "You think it's me don't you? You think that I'm the stalker." Michael remained expressionless. "Well I'm not. Maria is my best friend. I didn't go to Harvard because when it came down to it, being a scientist isn't what I really wanted to do. When Maria offered this to me I took it because I wanted to. It's a great opportunity and I hope to one day manage other stars besides Maria." She stopped talking and reached under the bench to retrieve a glass. "Plus, if I wanted her dead, I would have done it by now."

"Still, I'm keeping my eye on you," Michael said as he considered what she had said. It all did make sense but he still had a nagging feeling that wouldn't go away. Liz rolled her eyes as she poured water into the glass and placed the jug back in the fridge. 

"You do that then."

*~*~*~*

"Who was on the phone?" Kyle said as he entered the dining room behind Courtney. The maid jumped in surprise and turned to look at the person behind her.  

"Excuse me? I don't know what you're talking about," she said as she picked up a nearby duster. 

Kyle crossed his arms over his chest. "I heard you on the phone and I want to know what's going on… now. I heard you say that Maria will never suspect anything and that you had 'plans', so I'll ask again, what's going on?"

Kyle watched as Courtney placed the duster back on the table and looked around the room. She walked closer to him and bit her lip. "Fine, I'll tell you, but you have to keep this quiet ok? No one else can know, especially not Maria," she asked with pleading eyes and Kyle nodded, although thinking she was a complete nut job—as if he wouldn't tell anyone. Courtney surveyed the room once more before whispering, "The staff and a few others are planning a surprise part for Maria. Sort of a … congratulations on the tour, kind of thing."

Kyle blinked. 'What the hell?' he thought. "Party?"

The maid nodded. "Yes, a party. The person on the phone is in charge of the decorations. He delivered some today but we don't want Maria getting suspicious so I was told to ask him to hold off on bringing any more for a few days." 

"A party, you're planning a party," Kyle laughed. He couldn't believe he thought she was a killer. She looked way too innocent to be a killer anyway. "Ok, I won't tell Maria," he said and Courtney smiled. Before leaving the room, Kyle asked her one more thing. "Oh, do you recall seeing anyone by the mail when you went to pick it up?"

Courtney looked to be thinking for a moment before nodding. "Yes, actually, I do. I saw a man; he had this gruff look with brown hair, cute though. I asked him what he was doing there and he said that he was the new gardener."

Kyle nodded, taking in all the information, thanked Courtney and walked out of the room. As he walked down the hall he couldn't help but think that Courtney still had some kind of connection to all of this. Sure she looked innocent, but looks could be deceiving. He'd have to check with Liz to see if this party was for real.

He stepped into the kitchen and saw Michael sitting at the bench in thought. Kyle clapped him on the back, bringing him back to reality. "Hey Michael, you seen Liz?"

Michael shook his head.  "Why?"

"I just need to check something out with her. Oh and I think I have our lead suspect, well for now anyway."

"Me too," Michael said with a half smile. So he thought that Liz had something to do with it too. 

Kyle nodded. "Yeah it's Courtney," he said, just as Michael said, "Liz."

The two men stared at each other. "You think its Liz?" Kyle asked. "It can't be, I know its Courtney. Well I don't know, but the evidence is piling up, trust me."

Michael shook his head. "No, it's Liz. She's our number one suspect. I know she's in on it. And who the hell is Courtney?" Michael asked, confused. He picked up the list that Kyle had placed on the table and scanned it. "She's not even on this grudge list."

"She was the maid who brought in the mail."

Michael thought for a moment then nodded. He remembered her now. He caught this weird vibe off her but just thought that it was the burrito he had for lunch.

Kyle took out a pen and wrote her name in the grudge list. "Well she's our number one suspect now."

Michael shook his head and grabbed the pen and paper off him. "No, Liz is our number one suspect," he said as he scribbled out Courtney's name and wrote Liz's.

Kyle grabbed the pen and paper back. "No, it's Courtney," he said re-writing her name.

Michael pushed him and tried to grab the pen away but Kyle held it to his chest. "Go away Michael, it's Courtney and that's final," he said giving Michael a push back.

Michael saw red and charged at him bringing them both to the ground. Kyle let go of the paper and they both watched it float to the ground. Kyle looked at Michael who glanced at him before both tried to shuffle themselves closer to the paper. 

"The killer is Liz," Michael growled out when Kyle had managed to get his head in a headlock. Michael punched him in the gut. Kyle let go but before Michael could get the paper, Kyle tripped him.

Kyle smiled in triumph as he picked up the list. "The killer is Courtney."

Michael was about to charge at him again when Maria entered the room. She took in their messy appearance and sighed, "I've hired immature morons." 

Michael smirked at her while Kyle pocketed the list.

"You know you love us," Michael said.

Maria smiled at him seductively and brushed past him. He shivered at the slight touch and ignored the glare that Kyle was shooting him. 

"You wish," she said as she walked over to the far door.

"Every damn night," Michael called out and heard her giggle as she left the kitchen. He looked over at Kyle who was looking at him in disgust. "What?" he said, the list temporarily forgotten.

"Do you have to flirt with my sister?" Kyle said angrily. He wasn't sure why the two of them flirting affected him so much, but Maria was his baby sister and Michael had a reputation for not being able to commit to anyone. Maria deserved someone who could give her a future.

Michael sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I was not flirting with your sister," he lied. He knew what he was doing but also knew that Kyle was getting pissed off with it. Michael knew how much Kyle loved his sister, he talked about her enough, but Michael also couldn't deny that every time he saw her he felt something go through his body. He tried changing the subject. The last thing he needed was to have his best friend angry with him. "The killer is Liz."

Letting out a small laugh, Kyle shook his head. "No it's not," he said and smiled. "It's Courtney."

"How much do you want to bet?" Michael said with a smirk.

Kyle thought for a moment then a small smile crossed his face. "If it turns out that Courtney is the killer, you have to stay away from Maria," he said mimicking Michael's smirk.

Clenching his jaw Michael contemplated Kyle's side of the deal. Could he stand to stay away from Maria if he was wrong? No he couldn't, although, he had never been wrong about a case before. Not being one to chicken out of a deal, he agreed. After all, if he did lose, then he'd just find a loophole around it. 

"Fine, but if I win and Liz is the killer, then you have to take over the Reynolds case." He smiled as he watched Kyle's jaw drop and shudder. Mrs Reynolds was an elderly woman in need of a bodyguard when she went out, she was very wealthy but had a sickening crush on both men, and every time they went around, Mrs Reynolds tried to make a pass at them. 

Kyle nodded after a few moments, although somewhat reluctantly. Like Michael, he was never one to chicken out on a bet. After all, Kyle had never been wrong about a hunch either. 

*~*~*~*

Courtney broke out into a full-fledged grin as she entered Michael's room. He had obviously made the room his own, even though he had only been there a day. His clothes were thrown on the bed and his wallet was lying on the mantel above the fireplace. She walked over to the bed, picked up a black t-shirt and held it to her face. After inhaling the smell of Michael she let out a content sigh. 

Ever since seeing him in the lobby as he and Kyle arrived, she had felt an instant attraction towards him. He had the longish brown hair that she'd just love to run her fingers through and the most deep, intense chocolate brown eyes that she could get lost in forever. She placed the shirt over her arm and walked over to the mantel. She picked up the wallet and started going through it. "Credit card, credit card, video card, Photos, bingo!"

As she reached the photos, she started seeing red. There was a photo of Michael with two gorgeous women hanging off his arms. She pulled the wallet-sized photo out of its sleave and read the names on the back. "Isabel and Laurie," she said to herself as she turned the photo back around and glared at the two smiling faces. Placing the wallet back on the mantel, she walked over to the bin, ripped the two women's heads off the photo and threw them in the bin. Smiling in satisfaction, she then left the room and walked down the stairs to the servant's quarters. After waving at a fellow worker she continued down a long corridor until she reached her room.

Courtney walked over to her closet and ruffled around until she found a plain box. Taking out a permanent marker, she wrote 'Private' on top and then took off the lid. Taking the shirt off her arm, she carefully placed it into the empty box. "The first addition," she said to herself with a smile. After seeing Michael that day in the lobby she knew that he had to be hers. She had come up with a plan earlier that day to try to make Michael see her as more than just a maid. She would sneak into Michael's room, steal some of his things, then when he reported them missing, she would come in, say that she had found them, and then he would see her in a different light. It was the perfect plan, what could go wrong?

She then reached into her pocket and fished out the ripped photo she had also taken from him.  This she wouldn't be giving back, this she would keep. She walked over to her dresser and pulled out an old photo album. After flicking through the pages, she spotted a picture of herself and an old friend and knew it would be perfect. Taking out a pair of scissors, she cut the old friend out of the photograph then took the other photo and cut carefully around Michael's body and glued it to the picture of her self. She held it up to her face and admired her work. It now looked as if Michael had his arm around her. She brought the photo close to her face and kissed the picture of Michael. "You will be mine, I'll make sure of it," she said as she placed the photo under her pillow. 

*~*~*~*

One week later 

****

Liz smiled and congratulated herself on a job well done. The ballroom looked perfect. Tonight was the night of the surprise party for Maria. Liz had managed to get Kyle to take Maria out of the house and into town for a while until the ballroom had been completely set up. She was due back an a few hours and all she needed to do now was get dressed. 

"Good job," someone said behind her. Liz smiled and came face to face with Michael. Lately she couldn't seem to shake him from her presence. He had been very true to his words when he said that he'd be keeping an eye on her. Hopefully though, Maria could keep him company for a while so she could at least have a few hours to herself. 

Michael surveyed the room. Liz had gone with a metallic blue, silver and purple colour scheme. Balloons and streamers were hung everywhere, a buffet table was situated in the corner ready for food to be placed on and many tables and chairs littered the area surrounding the dance floor. 

"Thank you Michael, It does look rather good doesn't it? Are you going to get ready anytime soon?" she asked, then raked her eyes over his body. "Oh and I suggest you wear a tux, you do own one right?" 

He glared at her before placing a smirk on his face. "Yes I own a Tux but why on earth would I want to get ready now? There's still two hours before anyone gets here," he asked confused. All he needed to do was throw on his suit and stick a bit of gel in his hair. 

"Well don't you want to look good for Maria?" Liz asked with a small smile and tried not to laugh at the exasperated look on Michael's face.

"I do not like Maria ok! Anyway, she's Kyle's sister, like anything could happen," Michael said as he shook his head. Over the past week, when not watching Liz, he had been sneaking glances at Maria and with every glance he had fallen even further for her, but kept telling himself that nothing could happen. Firstly she was Kyle's baby sister and he didn't want to ruin their friendship and secondly, she probably didn't even like him. She had so far shown no interest as all. 

Liz rolled her eyes. "Keep telling yourself that Michael and maybe one day you might actually believe it."

Michael glared at her again before she started walking off towards the entertainment area. Michael stayed standing rooted in that spot for a while thinking about what Liz had said. Sighing, he pushed his hands in his pockets and walked in the direction of the stairs. Maybe he should start getting ready.

*~*~*~*

"You know, it has been really good to spend some time with you sis," Kyle said as they walked through a park. Liz had made him get Maria out of the house while she set up the party. It turns out that Courtney had been telling the truth, but still, over that past week that girl had been acting even stranger. Not only that but he kept catching her staring at Michael. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary seeing girls stare at Michael, only the looks she gave him were more of an obsessed look. It was somewhat frightening at times. 

"Yeah it has, hasn't it? So how is everyone back home?" Maria asked looking up at the stars as they sat down at a nearby table. 

"Well Amy and Dad are still acting like they're newlyweds and it's quiet disgusting."

Maria shuddered at the mental image that created. Her mother had married Kyle's Dad a few years ago but they still acted like horny teenagers.

"Ah, Tess and the kids are great, Tess actually wants to try for another but I don't know…we'll see. Max misses you like crazy as does Laurie." Kyle paused for a moment then smiled. "I never told you this before but Laurie is actually Michael's sister."

Maria creased her eyebrows. "Really? I wonder why I never met him before. But then again I only knew Laurie for a few months before moving here," she said in wonder. She wondered why she didn't notice it before. Both of them had the same eyes and scratched their eyebrows when they were confused about something… not to mention having the same last name. Laurie had been Maria's roommate when she was in college. In high school, Maria had actually completed all of her courses early so took the chance to leave and start college earlier than all her friends. She attended the University of Las Cruses and while there, her and Laurie had become great friends until Maria was discovered and moved out to LA. 

"Yeah, apparently Laurie had no idea I was your brother either until Max mentioned it," Kyle said as he stood. "Come on, we'd better get back to the house, it's getting late."

Maria nodded and followed Kyle. As they walked Kyle remembered something that Courtney had mentioned but he had forgotten to ask Maria about it. "Hey, who is your new gardener? That maid Courtney said that she saw the new gardener around the mailbox the day you got that letter. Only I haven't been able to find him."

Maria furrowed her brows in confusion. "I don't have a gardener."

Kyle paused slightly and filed that information away for later. Either Courtney was lying when she had mentioned the guy near the mailbox, or there was someone else in the running for the number one suspect. 

*~*~*~*

Michael rolled his eyes as yet another woman invited to the party made their way over to him. He had been hit on three times already and the party had only been going on for an hour. Michael just hoped that Maria got there soon. Maybe if he stayed near her then all the other women would leave him alone. Another few minutes passed when Liz's voice came over the microphone and told everyone to be quiet because Maria had just entered the house. Silence engulfed the room and a moment later, the door opened and everyone yelled out, "Surprise!"

Everyone in the room watched as Maria jumped back, then smiled. By the look on her face, she really had no idea that this was happening. Michael stayed in the corner and watched Maria mingle and converse with a small group of friends before moving onto the next. He couldn't help the jealous feeling that ran through him as a man about the age of 20, placed his hand on the small of her back and asked her to dance. Pushing himself off the wall, Michael walked over to the bar. He needed a drink. 

"Not dancing tonight, Michael?" a female voice asked from next to him. He looked over and saw Courtney smile at him. He internally groaned. 'Great, will these women never leave me alone?' he thought as the girl trailed a finger up his arm. 

"Shouldn't you be cleaning or something?" Michael asked and she shook her head. 

"Nope, Maria gave me the night off. Do you want to go somewhere to… I don't know… talk?" she suggested with a wink and Michael knew that what she had in mind had nothing to do with talking.

*~*~*~*

Maria smiled at the guy who asked her to dance and politely refused. Sure he was cute but there was only one man that she wanted to dance with right now and he couldn't be found.

"Did I do good, or did I do good?" Liz asked from behind her. Maria laughed and gathered the brunette up in a hug.

"Oh you did good, I can't believe that you orchestrated this, it's amazing, I don't know what to say," she said still beaming.

Liz laughed and shook her head. "No need to thank me sweetie, you deserved this. Oh I have to go over and talk to Randle, I'll see you later?"

Maria nodded and watched as Liz made her way over towards the producer of her album. Shifting from one foot to the other, Maria smiled when she spotted Michael sitting over at he bar but then a feeling of possessiveness coursed through her when her maid, Courtney, ran her hand up his arm. She walked closer to see if she could hear what they were talking about.

"Do you want to go somewhere to… I don't know… talk?"

Maria's jaw dropped at how unbelievably forward Courtney was being. Before Michael could give her an answer, Maria walked up behind them and tapped Michael on the shoulder. "Michael, there you are," she said, placing her hand on his arm. She glanced at Courtney and smiled. "Oh Courtney, Kara called in sick so you will have to work tonight after all. I need you to clean all of the bathrooms."

"Can't I just do it tomorrow?" Courtney asked with a fake smile. She was sure she was making progress with Michael until _she_ came. Maria shook her head.

"No, and make sure that the toilets really sparkle."

Courtney stood with a huff. "Fine," she said then licked her lips and winked suggestively to Michael. "See you later, Mickey G."

Michael didn't pay any attention to the obvious tension around him; the only thing he could feel was Maria's hand on his arm. She was touching him and it felt good. He could feel electricity shoot up his arm as Maria slightly started to caress his forearm without even realising it. He hadn't even noticed that she was speaking to him until she moved her hand away. "Michael?"

"Ye-ah?" he chocked out and cursed himself for such a stupid reply. 

Maria tired not to giggle and pointed to a door that led to a balcony. "I said, did you want to go out and get some air?" Michael nodded dumbly as Maria lead him out the door. She shivered slightly as the wind hit her bare arms and Michael shrugged off his jacket and offered it to her. "Thanks," she smiled as he helped her put it on. She walked over towards the stone railing and leaned on it, looking out into the distance. "Beautiful isn't it?"

Still staring at her he nodded. "Yeah, beautiful."

Maria turned her head to look at him and gasped at their closeness. Their faces were merely a centimetre apart and she could feel his warm breath on her face. Gazing into his eyes, she placed a hand on his chest as his arms circled her waist. Maria caressed his cheek with his other hand and drew their faces closer, their lips barely touching. She knew he was finally going to kiss her, and licked her lips in anticipation.

"Maria you out there?"

Michael jumped out of her embrace and cursed under his breath. Kyle sure had impeccable timing. He glanced at Maria who looked flushed and out of breath and he knew. He knew that she wanted to kiss him just as much as he wanted to kiss her. He once again dammed Kyle for his existence.

Tbc

*~*~*~*~*

I firstly want to thank all those who have reviewed this fic so far. I really appreciate it. As for a few of your questions, yes, Max, Alex and Tess will be in it but not until chapter 5. Isabel and Laurie will also be appearing then as well. They are Michael's meddling sisters; of course they're going to be in it. I hoped that you liked this chapter and the next should be out soon.   -Sarah


	4. Chapter four

Chapter four 

Maria threw a smile at Michael before stalking back into the party. As she walked through the door she spotted Kyle. "What the hell do you want Kyle? I was busy." Kyle raised an eyebrow at her.

"Busy doing what exactly?" he asked. He had seen Michael and Maria walk off outside and knew he had to interrupt it before they got anywhere. He ignored the slight blush on Maria's cheeks and shrugged. "I didn't know where you were so I got worried," he said in the most sincere tone he could. He smiled internally when Maria's angered look disappeared. It worked.

"Oh Kyle, you don't need to worry about me ok, I was fine, go and have fun." She said using her hands in a 'shoo' motion. Even though he had been sweet in looking out for her, she really wanted him to go away so she could finish what she and Michael had started a few minutes before. 

Kyle shook his head and smirked at Michael as he entered the room. "No I think that I'll stick by your side," he said then was quick to add, "All night." Maria tried to suppress the groan that wanted to come out, but instead smiled and thanked him for being a great brother. Kyle beamed at Michael who just glared at him. Grabbing Maria's hand, he started to pull her towards the dance floor. "Come on sis, let's dance." 

*~*~*~*

Three days later 

****

Michael walked into his room frustrated after doing a sweep of the grounds. So far he and Kyle, were no closer to finding out whom the killer was. The person seemed to have started to back off for a while. He sat on his bed and ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't frustrated due to not being any closer to finding the killer, no; he was frustrated because of Kyle. Since the night of the party, Kyle had not left Maria's side once. Michael hadn't gotten a chance to even talk to her yet. He was pretty certain that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her but needed to be sure. 

Sighing, he got up and walked over towards the set of drawers near the door. He opened it to find a new shirt to wear but upon looking into it he was surprised. He was sure that he had brought more than four shirts along with him. Closing the drawer he then glanced over towards the mantle where he kept his wallet. Opening it, he checked to see if all his credit cards were in place. After counting them he concluded that they were there. Before he closed the wallet he checked the photo section and creased his brows in confusion as two of the photos he had were missing, one of him and his sisters, and another of his dog. He scratched his head as he closed the wallet and put it in his pocket. Who would want a picture of a dog?

He made a mental note to talk to Maria about his missing things before heading off into the bathroom. As he prepared himself to go to the toilet he let out a laugh. "Oh you have got to be kidding me," he said as he pulled his jeans back up. While relieving himself he glanced over at the sink and saw that his toothbrush and hairbrush were missing. "This is just beyond weird now." He said as he headed out the door. He needed to talk to Maria now. 

*~*~*~*

Maria tapped her foot along to the music coming out of her headphones as she lay on a beach chair beside the clear sparkling water in her pool.

_Wake me up inside_

_Wake me up inside_

_Call my name and save me from the dark_

_Bid my blood to run before I come undone_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

As she listened to the music, her thoughts kept dragging her back to the party a few nights ago with Michael. When she had first met him a week and a half ago, she never thought that she would ever develop such deep feelings for him in such a short amount of time. But he was different from all the men she had dated before. She felt safe with him, she felt…alive when she was around him. He was what she had been waiting for all this time. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the phone ring beside her. Taking the headphones off she answered.

"Hello?"

_"Soon Maria."_

With that the line went dead. She placed the phone beside her and then glanced at her shaking hand as she felt all the blood rush from her face. She hadn't heard a thing from this person in a while and just thought that they had given up, obviously she was wrong. 

"Maria?" She jumped when someone behind her placed their hand on her shoulder but sighed in relief when she recognised the voice to be Michael's. Turning her around to face him, a look of concern crossed over his features. She looked pale and obviously shaken up. "Maria what's wrong?" he asked more urgently.

"I got another phone call, they said 'Soon Maria' and hung up," she said, feeling tears prick her eyes. "Michael I'm scared."

Michael pulled her body to his in a tight hug. He tried not to groan aloud when she nestled her head into the crook of his neck. 'Now is not the time to get aroused,' he berated himself and hugged her tighter. He started rubbing soothing circles on her back to comfort her as he could hear her try to muffle her cries in his shirt. 

Maria raised her head off his shoulder to thank him but froze when she looked into his eyes. He looked concerned yet angry, and she was almost certain that she could see desire there as well. Mating their foreheads together, she could feel his breath on her lips and the memory of the party sprung to mind. 

Kyle stood in front of the two with his hands on his hips gaping. Michael had his arms around his bikini-clad sister and looked two seconds away from ravishing her right in front of him. "What the hell is going on here?" he yelled and the two jumped, not realising they had company. "I leave you alone for two goddamn minutes and you already…" he trailed off when they pulled apart and he saw the tears tracks on Maria's cheeks. "Maria?" he asked in a softer tone.

"She got another phone call, they said 'Soon Maria' and hung up." Michael informed him.

Kyle immediately took the shaken girl in his arms and rocked her gently against his body. "I'm sorry sis, I just thought… no don't worry about what I thought, it's not important right now." He continued holding her for a few more minutes before Liz appeared and asked what had happened. Kyle told her and she went to make Maria a cup of tea to settle her down. Kyle finally let Maria go after a few minutes and gave her a kiss on the forehead before standing. "I'm going to go see where Courtney was during this time, I'll be back shortly."

As he left, Maria sniffed and turned back to Michael who was staring after Liz. "Courtney?"

Michael nodded. "Yeah, Kyle seems to think that Courtney is behind all of this."

Maria furrowed her brow. "Courtney? No way, she couldn't be. I mean…she's just not that smart." Maria said while wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.

Michael couldn't help but think how adorable she looked when doing that. 'Adorable?' he thought. 'Where did that come from?' he snapped out of his Maria induced thoughts when she continued.

"Sure she has reason to hate me but kill me? No." 

"Why would she hate you?" Michael asked confused. 

Maria laughed as she blew into the tissue that Michael had handed her. "I tend to give her the shitty jobs, but only by accident. She was the last one Liz hired so all the good jobs were taken."

Michael nodded then suddenly remembered why he had sought Maria out in the first place. "Maria? I sort of have something to tell you," he said.

"What?"

"It seems that some of my stuff is missing. My shirts, photos… toothbrush," he said with a chuckle. He still couldn't understand why someone would steal a toothbrush. 

Maria was shocked. She trusted all of her staff, who would want to steal Michael's things? Didn't she pay them enough? "Oh, well um…" she trailed off not really knowing what to say. "I guess we could stake out your room to see if anyone goes in," she suggested after a while.

Michael nodded and as they stood, Kyle reappeared. "I couldn't find Courtney… where are you two headed?" he asked while Maria put her shorts back on.

Michael explained about his stuff going missing and Maria told him of her plan. Kyle decided to go along with them, in case they needed help, he told them. Help? Yeah right. He just wanted to make sure they kept their paws off each other. 

*~*~*~*

"Kyle you're in my way," Maria said while trying to push him. Kyle and Michael had decided to walk ahead of her and were now standing at the corner of the hallway trying to see if anyone had yet to go inside Michael's room.

"Hey it's not my fault you're too short," he smiled, knowing that Maria would get angry over that comment.

He was right. She whacked him over the back of the head with her hand. "Hey, is that anyway to talk to a world famous star?" Kyle rolled his eyes. Sometimes his sister could be a little egotistical. "I deserve better," she continued.

"Shhh," Michael whispered as he turned to the bickering pair. 'Siblings,' he thought, 'Go figure.' 

Maria's jaw dropped as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you just shush me?" she asked angrily. "I can't believe you shushed me."

Michael grabbed her and covered her mouth with his hands, preventing her shriek from giving them away. "Someone's in the room, just shut up for at least a second, do you think you can do that?" he asked and she glared at him. Kyle chuckled at the two and Maria bit into Michael's hand. "Ouch, f-uck Maria," he said nursing his hand as Maria smiled in triumph. She was about to comment when Kyle spotted someone coming out of the door. They stood there and watched as Courtney, walked out of the room with a pair of Michael's black leather shoes in hand. "Oh so what? My toothbrush wasn't enough?" Michael yelled out and Courtney gasped from surprise.

Maria walked forward and placed her hands on her hips. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" she asked while tapping her foot, impatiently waiting for an answer. 

"Oh…um…I was just…" Courtney started but then stopped. How could she have been so stupid? The plan would have been perfect if she hadn't been caught. Now Michael would never see her for a hero. "Cleaning his room?" she said after a moment with a shrug. 

Rolling her eyes, Maria held out her hand for the shoes which Courtney reluctantly handed over. "Cleaning? Courtney I ordered everyone to stay out of Kyle and Michael's rooms," she said and handed the shoes over to Michael. Courtney bowed her head. "Kyle, go with her to pack her stuff. Courtney you're fired and I want you off my property within the next 30 minutes or I'm calling the police." 

Kyle nodded and started to pull Courtney down the hall. Maria turned back to Michael. "God I'm so sorry, if I had any idea she was capable of that I would have--" Michael interrupted her rant with a laugh and she glared at him. "What is so funny? I don't find this situation the least bit hilarious."

"She stole my toothbrush and a picture of my dog, how could you not find that funny. She's a complete nut case." Michael said trying to calm himself down.

Maria thought for a moment before letting a small grin break out on her face. "I guess you're right, I just don't understand why she would want those things, I mean…it's not as if she could have sold them to anyone."

Michael stopped laughing and a serious look crossed over his face. "I'm not so sure about that, She could have sold them on ebay, my things would fetch a pretty penny these days, me being the big shot sexy bodyguard and all."

Maria threw back her head in laughter. "Big shot---sexy---bodyguard?" she gasped out in between laughs. "Yeah right, Guerin, you're not that hot." 

Shooting Maria a pained look, he pouted. "You don't think I'm hot?"

Maria threw him a grin before once again erupting into giggles, Michael soon following. It was good to just laugh at a time like this and he was glad that he was able to make her laugh. After the call she received today he thought that she needed it. That and she looked absolutely beautiful when she smiled.

After calming down, she stepped forward and pressed her lips to his cheek then up to his ear and whispered, "Thank you," before walking away from him and down the hall.

Michael raised his hand to his tingling cheek, turned and started banging his head against the wall, willing his erection to go away. 

*~*~*~*

Courtney unlocked the door to her room and started gathering her things into bags. Kyle walked to the closet and opened it, cursing when a box fell on his head. The box was labelled 'Private' but Kyle opened it anyway and inside he found all of Michael's missing things. Standing up, he walked over to Courtney and shoved the box in her face. "What the hell is this? What exactly did you expect to accomplish by stealing Michael's," he stopped to pick up an item, "toothbrush?"

Remaining silent, Courtney just shrugged. She didn't want to reveal her plan now that it had failed to work. Now she just felt stupid. Kyle shook his head, tucked the box under his arm and started to help her gather her things. Glancing over at the mirror, something caught his eye. He put the shirt he was holding down and walked towards the dresser and gasped at what he saw. There, on the mirror were Michael's missing photos as well as a few of Courtney's. She had glued them all onto a huge piece of cardboard and at the top was written, 'The Guerin family tree'. Kyle shook his head.

"I'm going to regret asking this, but what the f-uck?" 

Courtney turned to what he was pointing at and smiled. "Oh that is a family tree of mine and Michael's family." She smiled.

"Hmm, Courtney… I hate too break this to you, but you and Michael don't have a family." Kyle told her as if he was speaking to a five-year-old. This girl obviously needed help. 

Shaking her head, Courtney just grinned. "I know that, but see," she pointed to a picture of what looked like a cutout from a magazine of two children, "they are what our children will look like in the future. I think we'll have two and see," she said pointing to the picture of Michael's dog, "This is our dog." 

Kyle pursed his lips while nodding his head. He didn't want to say anything else in case she went mental on him so he played along with it until they had all her things packed. He somehow knew that she wasn't the stalker; the stalker was someone who wanted revenge against Maria, not obsessed with Michael. "Were you in Michael's room that whole time?" he asked. He just had to make sure. Courtney nodded and Kyle sighed. "Ok, you know that guy you described to me before?" she nodded so he continued, "Is there anything else you can tell me about him?"

Courtney thought for a moment then nodded. "He had a tattoo on his arm. It was of a woman but I couldn't see it clearly."

Kyle stored the information away for later and helped her take her bags outside. As they neared the gate, Kyle held onto her arm and spoke in an even voice laced with warning. "If I ever see you anywhere near Maria, this house or Michael again, I won't hesitate to call the police and make sure that you are put away for life, you got that?" Courtney nodded a little frightened. Kyle smiled. "Good, then let's hope I don't see you anytime soon." With that, he left her watching him leave and headed back into the house. 

*~*~*~*

"I can't believe Courtney would do such a thing, she seemed so nice when I hired her." Liz said as she took a sip of her tea.

Maria nodded. "I know, I could hardly believe it either, but Michael seemed to find it funny. Men!" she huffed and Liz laughed. "Are you looking forward to going home?" 

Liz shrugged. "I don't know. It would be great seeing everyone." 

"Oh, I know. I can't wait to see Mom and Jim. Max too." Liz flinched slightly when Maria mentioned Max. Max Evans, a God among men. He was perfect. The sensitive, romantic, cute guy every woman wants. He also happened to be Maria's ex-boyfriend. "And Tess," Maria continued. "I can't wait to see her and the children." Liz nodded.

"Yeah, I guess," she sighed. "So, have you heard from Max lately?" she asked holding her cup to her mouth.

Maria shook her head. "No, the last time I did speak to him though he said that he was thinking of asking Laurie to marry him."

Liz almost spit out her tea but managed to hold it in, thankful that Maria didn't notice. "I guess we'll find out all the gossip when we get home though huh?"

*~*~*~*

"Michael, wait up," Kyle yelled as he ran to catch up with his best friend and partner. "I got all your stuff and let me tell you, that woman belongs in the loony bin."

"I know, I mean man, my toothbrush."

Kyle shook his head and laughed. "Dude that's not all she had. She was actually convinced that you were going to marry her, that picture of your dog was on a piece of cardboard labelled, 'The Guerin family tree'." Michael rolled his eyes. It was uncanny the way woman fell for him. "Oh and I have something to report."

"Yeah? What?" Michael asked as they sat on the porch steps. 

"Courtney said that the day that Maria received that letter, she saw a man hanging around who claimed to be the new gardener, but when I asked Maria about him, she said that she didn't have a gardener. I asked Courtney again to describe him but all she could remember was that the guy had a tattoo on his arm of a woman."

Michael took all the information and nodded. "So now you think that it's this guy?" Kyle gave a curt nod. "What happened to Courtney being it?" 

"I was wrong," he said but quickly added, "But I'm still certain it's not Liz," after seeing the wide grin that spread over Michael's face. There was no way in hell he was going to win that bet. Liz was not the killer. 

Clapping his hand on Kyle's back, Michael stood. "Whatever man, so what do you think we should do? This guy could still be around. Think maybe we should head off to Roswell early?" 

Kyle nodded and they headed into the house to find Maria. They found her and Liz talking over tea. "Hey girls, what are you doing?" he asked stealing away one of Maria's cookies. She slapped at his hands.

"Just talking about Roswell and seeing everyone." 

Kyle smiled and looked toward Michael who nodded. "How would you feel about going to Roswell early?"

Maria smiled. "Really? When do we leave?"

TBC


	5. Chapter five

Chapter five 

****

****

"It's a woman." 

Michael shook his head and walked out of the room. He had only been at his sister's place for 5 minutes before she began to analyse him. Deeply regretting not going with Kyle and Maria to their parent's house, he grabbed his beer and sat on the couch next to his brother in law, Alex Whitman. 

"Michael, don't walk away from me while I am talking to you," Isabel said with her hands on her hips from the doorway. 

"You weren't talking to me Iz, you were analysing me. There's a difference," he told his sister without looking away from the TV. There were serious disadvantages to having a phycologist in the family.

Sighing, Isabel waddled over to the couch and fell onto it. At seven months pregnant, it wasn't easy to get around and having her brother ignore her was not helping the situation. "Well…who is she?" she asked. As soon as Michael had walked into the house she could see the change in him. He smiled, and her brother hardly ever smiled, so the only explanation was another woman.

"Resistance is futile, you know she's going to get it out of you eventually." Michael threw a glare at Alex who raised his arms in mock defence. "Hey, just telling it like it is."

Michael glanced at Isabel. "How do you know it's a woman?" 

She smiled and gave a small laugh. "Michael, I haven't seen you this happy, yet troubled, in a very long time… if ever actually. So the only conclusion I can reach was that it must be a woman. Who is she? And you might as well just tell me now."

"And if I don't?" 

Isabel smirked. "Then I'll tell Laurie." She enjoyed the look of fear that crossed over his features as he considered his options, knowing that he'd tell her. Little did he know that she was planning to tell their other sister anyway.

Giving in, Michael rested his head on the back of the couch. "Maria," was all he said, not really wanting to tell them anything. "Her name is Maria."

"Hello, anyone home?" A voice called from the door and Isabel told them to come in. Michael covered his face with his hands knowing exactly who it was and hoped to god that Isabel would keep her mouth shut.  "Michael!" He looked up and saw the smile cross over his baby sister's face before being sat on and hugged.

"Laurie," he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "What are you doing here?" 

"Dropping something off, so…what are we talking about?"

Michael looked to Isabel and shook his head silently telling her to keep quiet.

Isabel grinned at Laurie and ignored the look Michael was giving her. "Michael's found a woman. Her name is Maria."

Laurie looked at Michael in amazement then turned to Isabel for an explanation. "That's all I know so far. Michael was just about to tell me the rest."

Smiling wildly, Laurie clasped her hands together. "Looks like I got here right on time then," she said as she turned to Michael. "So… talk on dear brother, who is the woman that has captured your heart," she said dramatically then glanced at his chest. "If indeed you really do have one."

Michael glared at her then sighed knowing that there was no way in hell he was getting out of this. He hated having two nosey sisters. "She's the client Kyle and I are currently working for. Kyle's sister actually."

"You're in love with a client? Isn't there like…rules against that or something?" Laurie asked. 

"I'm not in love with her Laurie, I like her, nothing more," Michael said, trying to sound convincing. He didn't really know what he felt for Maria. All he did know was that it was definitely more than just like, only he wasn't about to tell his sisters that. "And since when do I follow rules?"

Thinking it over for a moment Laurie nodded. "True, so come on, what else? What does she look like?"

"You've probably seen her before. She's famous apparently," Michael told them.  "Maria Deluca. Blond hair, green eyes and a set of incredibly sexy legs."

Alex let out a small gasp from beside him. "Maria Deluca? As in the singer Maria Deluca?" When Michael nodded Alex's smile grew. "So she's here then? In Roswell?" Again Michael nodded, only a little confused at what Alex was trying to get at. "Man, I love her." Alex smiled dreamily. 

Isabel glared at her husband who cowered and quickly added, "Her music, I love her music." He hoped his wife would take pity on him and let it go. Since getting pregnant she had been overly hormonal to the point of turning a guy insane. He loved his wife dearly but sometimes it was all too much. He turned back to Michael. "Hey, you think you can introduce us?" he asked with hopeful eyes. 

"Sure man, I'll see what I can do."

Alex let out a 'whoop' and jumped off the sofa.

Michael laughed and turned to Isabel. "I still don't understand why you married him."

"Me either sometimes," Isabel commented while watching Alex do his version of the happy dance in front of them all. 

"Wait, Maria Deluca?" Laurie asked.

Michael rolled his eyes. "Yes, Maria Deluca, didn't we just go over this?" 

Hitting him in the arm, Laurie shook her head. "Shut up Michael. I just mean -- that I know her," she said with a smile as she claimed the spot Alex had just jumped from. 

"Yeah, everyone does Laurie, she's famous," Michael said with a look that read 'duh' and ducked when Laurie tried to hit him again. "And would you stop trying to hit me?"

"No you idiot, I was her roommate in college. She's the one who introduced me to Max," she explained. "We met at orientation then discovered that we were rooming together and became really good friends up until she was 'discovered' at the pizza pan. We still occasionally e-mail each other," she said, then creased her brow and frowned. "Wait, how in the hell did you of all people, manage to snag Maria Deluca?" she asked confused.

Michael scoffed. "Wow, your confidence in me is amazing," he said with a fake smile once again moving out of the way of Laurie's small fist. "And I haven't snagged her as you so eloquently put it. I mean… we haven't even kissed yet."

"You haven't… wait… you haven't what?" Laurie asked not thinking she heard right then looked at Isabel. "I thought you said he had a woman?"

"You haven't kissed her yet?" Isabel asked then sighed. "Michael, how can you marry the girl when you haven't even kissed her yet?" 

Michael stared at Isabel, jaw dropped and wide-eyed. "Married? Who said anything about marriage? I've only just met the girl." Michael shook his head then thought, 'Well that idea actually doesn't sound too bad.'

Isabel and Laurie both looked at each other before nodding and saying at the same time, "He'll marry her."

Michael buried his head in his hands and groaned. He hated having sisters.

*~*~*~*

Maria put on a fake smile while her mother fussed over her. She threw a glare at Kyle who was snickering beside her. 

"Oh my… Maria, look at you. Don't they feed you in Los Angeles? You're all skin and bones," Amy Deluca-Valenti said, putting a plate of food in front of her daughter. "I knew sending you there was a bad idea. Look at you, you're too skinny, now eat everything. I want to see that plate empty." 

"Mom, would you stop?" Maria pleaded. She loved her mother like anything but sometimes she could be a little over bearing. "Why aren't you making Kyle eat?"

Amy looked towards Kyle then back to Maria and whispered, "Because between you and me, Kyle could stand lose a few pounds."

Maria and Amy giggled and Kyle furrowed his brows.

"What?" he asked and the two laughed harder. "What?"

Liz chose that moment to walk back into the kitchen and Kyle looked to her for help. "Can you please find out why those two are laughing at me?"

Before she could answer, Amy stopped laughing and dragged Liz over to the table, seating her next to Maria. "Does nobody eat in LA?" she asked while placing a plate of food in front of Liz.

Liz glanced at the food, then at Maria and back at the food. "Ah…thanks?" she said confused and Maria laughed.

"She thinks that we're all skin and bones, that we don't eat enough," she told the brunette who now understood. Amy always did act a little too motherly at times. Liz was about to comment when two small children came barrelling into the room trying to climb all over their Aunt Ria. 

"Aunty Ria, Aunty Ria," they chanted and she laughed, picking them both up. 

"Hey guys, how you doing? And where's mommy?" she asked and the two pointed towards the door. Maria looked up and smiled as Tess came into view. "Tess, Oh my God, come here," she said and Tess walked over and gave her a hug. 

Pulling away, Tess pried her children off their Aunty. "Hey babe, I came as soon as I heard you were back. How long are you staying?" 

Maria shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I'll be here for a while."

Tess smiled then glanced at Liz, her smile lessening a little. "Liz," she greeted. She didn't really know why, but ever since meeting the girl she hadn't liked her. Liz felt the same way but both stayed friendly in the presence of Maria. Tess turned back to Maria, taking a seat beside her. "Are you staying here?" Maria nodded. "Oh that's great, we'll get together to do some shopping later."

"Yes definitely. You, me and Liz must do that," She said with a smile while the two other girls looked at her in horror. They could barely stand the presence of one another let alone having to spend the whole day together. 

Picking up her son that ran past, Tess shook her head. "Oh but Maria, I was hoping that you and I could spend some time _alone_ together," she said, emphasizing 'alone' while glancing at Liz who glared at her.

Maria looked apologetically at Liz who simply smiled. "Hey, no problem. I need to spend sometime with my family anyways," she said as she stood and pushed her chair back under the table. "I think I'll go and see them now. I'll meet you at the Crashdown later though right?" Maria nodded and Liz waved goodbye as she headed out the door.

Turning to Maria, Tess slowly grinned at her. "So… tell me everything. What's LA like? What are the guys like?" That question got a heated reaction from Kyle who was ignored by his wife and continued anyway. "Are they as hot as they are on TV? Did you meet anyone famous? Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Tess, Tess. Slow down babe," Maria laughed as the blue-eyed blond blushed shyly. "But to answer your questions, LA is wonderful but noisy, yes the guys are as hot as they are on TV, I met a few famous people while on tour but nothing to brag about really, and no I do not have a boyfriend…yet." 

"Yet? What do you mean yet? There's a yet?" Tess asked getting excited. As far as she knew, Maria hadn't had a boyfriend since Max so it was about time that she started dating again. After all, she was only 19. 

Maria giggled at her excitement. "There is a big possibility of a yet," 

"Not if I can help it," Kyle mumbled and Maria glared at him.

"Kyle, go help Dad," she ordered him. Jim Valenti was currently in the living room going over all the information Michael and Kyle had gathered about the stalkers. They figured that they'd use his help considering he was still the Sheriff of Roswell.

Tess looked back and forth between the two and wondered what was going on. "Ok, rewind here, what?" Maria waited until Kyle had left the room before continuing.

"You know Kyle's partner Michael?" she asked and Tess nodded. "Well, he is possibly the 'yet' I was talking about," she explained and Tess nodded her approval. Michael sure was a hot one. "But so far nothing has happened. There have been a few almost kisses, some minor flirting and what not but so far nothing. Your husband seems to conveniently interrupt us at the worst times."

"He doesn't?" Tess gasped. "Don't worry sweetie," she said patting the blonde's hand, "He's home now, I'll keep him occupied for you," she finished with a wink, which set Maria off in a bout of laughter just as Kyle re-entered the room. Maria glanced at him before laughing again, this time along with Tess. Kyle just rolled his eyes. He'd never understand women.

*~*~*~*

Maria sat glaring at Kyle as they sat in one of the booths in the Crashdown. "Oh come on sis, they weren't that bad." 

Apparently, before Michael had even met her, Kyle had shown him photos of her when she was younger. The two of them along with Liz were now laughing at her. "Not that bad?" she yelled. "Kyle, I had braces and a Meg Ryan hair cut. Not to mention I also had absolutely no fashion sense. Couldn't you have made him look at a more recent picture?"

"What's the fun in that?" Kyle asked as he ducked from an oncoming fry she threw at him. Maria buried her head in her hands and groaned. Of all the photos he had to show Michael, it just had to be of her in 8th grade. She glanced around the café in hopes of finding a small hole she could crawl into. 

"Hey, it wasn't that bad really. I kinda thought you looked cute," he whispered in her ear. He had been sitting beside her and watched in fascination as she flushed red from embarrassment and tried to hide herself.  He placed his hand on her knee hoping to gain her attention and couldn't help but love how soft her skin was underneath his hands, wishing nothing more than to be able to touch more of it. He smiled as she jerked slightly and looked at him. 

"Really?"

Michael nodded and her smile grew, however the moment was ruined when a rather loud cough was heard from beside them. Michael glanced at Kyle, about to glare at him, when Maria suddenly jumped out of the booth. Looking to where she had jumped to, Michael realised that this time it was not Kyle who ruined the moment, but his loving, if ever annoying sister, Laurie. 

Laurie laughed as she hugged the small blond that jumped into her arms. "Maria, Oh my god, it's been too long," she said letting go.

"Oh god Laurie, I can't believe it. How are you?" Maria asked while grinning wildly. 

Holding out her left hand, Laurie smiled. "Engaged."

Maria gasped as she saw the ring and squealed as she once again jumped into Laurie's arms. Both girls jumped up and down as they laughed. 

"Congratulations," Maria said then finally noticed the man standing behind the taller bond. "Max," she gasped then ran over to give him a hug. Max smiled as he clutched the small girl to his body. How he missed her. He pulled back to look at her face.

"Maria," he breathed out. He had almost forgotten how beautiful she was and how much he longed to once again have her in his arms. However, now it was slightly different. Instead of the feelings of lust and desire he once felt, it was now of a close friendship being reborn. 

Michael looked at the two with a scowl on his face. The moment she ran into Max's arms a feeling of possessiveness rushed threw him. He didn't at all like the way Max had his arms around her or the way he looked at her. He suddenly became aware of how tightly he had been holding the tabletop and his fingers now hurt from the grip. He glanced over at the two again and let out a small growl when Maria reached up to kiss Max on the cheek. 

Laurie watched her brother with amusement. He looked about ready to drag Maria off caveman style and mark his territory. She shook her head and turned back to her fiancé and friend. Michael had nothing to worry about. Max and Maria had there time together. She knew how much Max loved Maria, she had always known but now it was more of a love you would have for a friend, nothing more.

Maria reached up and planted a chaste kiss on Max's cheek. "I guess a congratulations is in order," she said with a smile that equalled the one Max was wearing. "I knew you two would be great together."

He nodded. "Yeah, you do know how to pick them don't you?" he chuckled. "It's great to see you again Maria, I've really missed you," he said softly while placing his hands on her arms.

"Me too, how about we get together later and talk?" she offered.

Max smiled and gave a curt nod before hugging her once more and looking at the table. "Hey Liz," he said giving her a toothy grin before greeting Michael and Kyle. 

Michael looked on as Liz smiled dreamily at Max before glaring at the back of Laurie's head. Maria invited the couple to sit with them and Liz mumbled something about helping her parents out upstairs and left the booth. He watched as Liz walked to the back door but before entering, she threw one more glare at his sister then disappeared. Michael wondered what that was all about. He didn't think that Liz knew Laurie. 

Shaking his head, Michael faced everyone back at the table. He turned to Maria. "So how do you know him?" he asked motioning to Max, hoping that the jealous tone in his voice wasn't too noticeable. 

Maria smiled. "Oh, Max and I dated when I was 17 for about a year, then we broke up right before I left for college," she explained. "And then, while he was visiting me, I introduced these two to each other," she said pointing to Max and Laurie who where snuggling up together, "Then from then on they've been together."

"And we thank you every day," Max said, kissing Laurie's temple as she giggled.

"I can't believe that you knew my sister all this time and we never met," Michael said, genuinely confused.

Maria shrugged. "Hey, you knew my brother all this time and I never met you either."

Michael nodded and both laughed at the situation. How is it that two people belonging to the same group never meet each other?

*~*~*~*

Later that afternoon, Max had taken Maria up on her offer to talk. He drove her out to there private spot by the old quarry. "So how's it feel being back?" he asked breaking the silence. 

"It's good, I missed everyone," she said, throwing a rock into the distance. "I missed you."

Max smiled. "I missed you too." He walked up behind her and gathered a few rocks up himself and started to throw them. "Are you happy?" he asked, but already knowing the answer. He had grown up and been in love with Maria since they were little. He saw straight through her every time. She couldn't hide her emotions from him. She never could. 

Sighing, Maria dropped her rocks and sat down, her feet hanging over the edge of the small cliff. Max took a seat beside her and waited for her answer. She shook her head. "Honestly no, I'm not. I mean, I love music and singing it's just…,I don't know." She shrugged. "I feel like there's something missing."

"Or someone."

Maria let out a small smile as she turned to look at Max. "How is it that you know me so well?" she asked softly nudging him with her shoulder. "But you're right. I know that I'm only 19, but still…" she trailed off. 

"But still you want that perfect someone to fill in the gaps," he finished for her and she nodded. He slung an arm around her shoulder in comfort. "Don't worry, you'll find him," he assured her, then added quietly, "And I think you already have."

Maria looked up at with and furrowed her brows in confusion so he explained using only one word. "Michael."

Maria bit her lip trying not to smile and Max laughed. "See I knew I was right. Maria's got a crush," he sing-songed. "Maria's got a cru—ouch Maria," he said rubbing his arm where she had pinched him.

"Well stop singing like a five-year-old and I won't need to hurt you," she said with a grin. "Now getting off the topic of me, how are you? What are you doing, how are things?"

Max laughed. "You do know that you sound exactly like Tess right?" Maria blushed. "Well, as you know Laurie and I are engaged. And before you ask, I proposed to her during a picnic and it was incredibly romantic up until it rained. It poured down just as I asked her. She made me kneel in the rain for about 5 minutes before the shock subdued and she finally said yes." Maria couldn't stop herself from laughing at the image that created. Max shook his head. "You think that was funny, Laurie didn't even realise it was raining until she said yes. The shock of me proposing was too much apparently." 

"Oh god, I can only imagine," Maria said, wiping the tears from her eyes. Poor Max, always the romantic who tried too hard. 

"Yeah, but she didn't care though, we made love right there in the rain," Max said with a smile remembering.

Maria covered her ears. "Ok, too much information there, buddy."

He laughed and decided to change the current topic. "Other than that, not much has really happened to me. I am still a doctor, still living in the same apartment only now with Laurie and we have a dog."

"Are you happy?" she asked. 

"More than I could have ever imagined," he answered truthfully.

Maria smiled at the dreamy look on his face. "Good. So when's the wedding?"

*~*~*~*

Click…Click…Click 

"Are you getting these shots?" 

The person holding the camera nodded. "Yes, I'm getting the damn shots," they said, sounding annoyed. "Just look at them, they look like they did in high school."

Looking at the two talking in the distance, the person in the shadows nodded. "Yes they do. But don't worry, she doesn't want him, not anymore."

The one holding the camera glared at scene in front of them. "Good, I didn't sign up for this to watch her get it on with an old boyfriend. Watching her go at it with that bloody bodyguard is hard enough. It took all I had not to just kill the bastard at that party when I saw them on the balcony." 

"Patience, our time will come."

TBC…


	6. Chapter six

Chapter six 

****

****

"Come on Maria, we're only going to see my sister," Michael said, banging on her bedroom door. 

Maria looked at her reflection in the mirror, ignoring Michael's banging. She had awoken this morning to the phone ringing and Michael asking if she'd like to meet his other sister, Isabel, and her husband Alex that afternoon. She smiled just thinking about it. Michael wanted her to meet the rest of his family. Now she knew that he liked her. He had to. Why else would he want her to meet his family? 

"Hold your horses Michael, I want to look perfect," she yelled while taking her top off. So far she had settled for tight black leather pants that flared at the bottom but now needed a top to go along with it. Fishing through her cupboard, she found a cream sleeveless turtle neck and started to put it on. 

Outside Michael groaned. He had been waiting for the past hour for her to be ready. He distinctly told her to finished by the time he arrived but Amy told him that she had yet to even finish her shower. "Maria, you'd look good in anything now hurry up." 

"Even in a potato sack?" came the reply through the door. 

"Even a potato sack," he agreed. Hell, Maria would look good in anything she wore. He sent a silent thankyou to the heavens when the door finally opened. Upon seeing her, all the breath in his lungs left his body and he stood frozen on the spot. He hoped that he wasn't drooling because he couldn't move his arm.

Maria blushed at the way he was looking at her. "Sorry, I couldn't find a sack but will this do?" she said motioning to her outfit. Michael nodded mutely and managed to step out of the way to let her pass. As she moved out the door, she purposely brushed her backside against his crotch and grinned when she heard him hiss quietly. 

She could feel his breath on the shell of her ear as he bent down. "You're evil." His voice sent shivers down her spine. She turned her head to the side to look at him and winked coyly as she continued down the hall. Michael groaned as he watched her ass sashay in front of him. 'This woman will be the death of me,' he thought as he followed her out of the house and into the car.

The ride over was silent and out of the corner of his eye he noticed her fidgeting in her seat. "What's wrong?" 

"What if they don't like me?" she asked quietly. She didn't know why but it was important to her that his family liked her. His family was important to him therefore important to her. 

"Maria, they'll love you," he told her while taking one of her hands in his. 'Just like I do,' he added silently to himself.

Maria smiled but what he said did nothing to calm her nerves. She shook her head. She, a singer who faced millions when on tour was nervous about meeting just two people.

"We're here," he announced as they pulled up into the driveway.

The house was nice. A huge two-storey house with a little brown fence and a lawn scattered with bikes and toys. Michael had told her that they had two children, just like Kyle and Tess, with one on the way. As they walked up the stairs to the door, Michael clasped her hand in his and knocked. They didn't have to wait long before someone answered. 

Maria gasped slightly as a beautiful blond answered the door. Michael crouched down to the girl's height. "How you doing Anna?" he asked as the girl jumped into his awaiting arms. Maria smiled at the sight and couldn't help but think that he'd make a great father one day. 

"Anna Marie Whitman, how may times do I have to tell you not to open the door?" A voice yelled from behind the half open door. Anna turned to look behind her and Maria could see a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Sorry momma," she said and skipped away.

Isabel shook her head and smiled at her brother. "Michael, you're late," she said, ushering the two in. 

Michael rolled his eyes and motioned to Maria. "It was her fault."

Maria gave an indignant scoff and whacked him on the arm. 

Smiling at the two, Isabel pulled out her hand. "Hi, I'm Isabel," she greeted, as she looked the girl up and down.

Maria felt a little intimidated and Michael seemed to notice it.

"Isabel, didn't I tell you _not_ to analyse Maria the minute she walked in the house?" 

Isabel stuck her tongue out at her brother and showed them to the living room. "So Maria," she started as they took a seat and handed Maria a glass of water. "You and Michael have been getting close lately?" 

Smiling, Maria raised the glass to her mouth. "Well he is my bodyguard. It would be weird if we didn't get to know each other."

"So true, so true," Isabel said with a sly grin. "So do you have a boyfriend?"

Maria choked on her drink before shaking her head and Michael glared at Isabel who ignored him. "No, oh well that's too bad. Michael doesn't have a partner either but you see, I think that Michael needs a woman in his life."

"Um well…ah," Maria stuttered not really knowing what to say. She hadn't been prepared for these types of questions. What had Michael been telling his family about them? 

"Iz honey, stop interrogating Michael's girlfriend."

Maria looked over her shoulder to see a tall lanky brunette walk towards them. He extended his hand to Maria who took it. "I'm Alex, I'm also a huge fan." 

Maria smiled politely. "Hi Alex, but ah… I'm not his girlfriend," she said, pointing to Michael. 'Not that I don't want to be,' she thought as Alex took a seat beside his wife. 

"Oh?" Isabel said in confusion, loving the way Michael was squirming in his seat. "The way he talked about you we just thought you were, or will be very soon at least." She had to bite her inner cheek to keep from laughing at the look on her brother's face. She'd have these two together in no time. It was obvious to her that both were denying their feelings for each other and the sooner they told each other, the sooner she could start planning their wedding. 

Turning to look at Michael, Maria let a small grin slide across her face, loving the way Michael was now the nervous one. "Oh really?" 

Michael continued to squirm in his seat while thinking of ways to kill his sister slowly yet painfully. He knew what she was doing and wished to god that she'd stop but knowing that she wouldn't. He once again damned the day his sisters were born. He looked at Maria and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah I ah… well you see…" he trailed off not knowing how to answer. 

"Maria, I'm into music myself," Alex suddenly announced. He decided that he'd save his brother-in-law in hopes that he'd spare his life when he tried to kill his wife. 

Michael mouthed 'Thank you' to Alex when Maria turned her attentions away from him.

"Really?" she asked, her face lighting up. "Are you a musician too?"

Shaking his head, he stood. "No I'm a producer, I'm trying to start up my career. I'd love it if you would hear some of the things I've been working on. I need a professional opinion."

Maria glanced at Michael before nodding and following him out into another room of the house. "Well I'm not sure how credible my opinion is but I'll give it a try." 

Back in the living room Michael turned and glared at Isabel. "What the hell was that?"

Isabel smiled innocently. "She's very pretty," she said, ignoring his question. "I wonder why she doesn't have a boyfriend yet. Maybe I could set her up with one of Alex's clients. There's this really cute guy in--"

"Like hell you are," Michael exploded and Isabel smiled in triumph. She knew he was hiding feelings, now…to get Maria to admit hers. Michael continued glaring at her. "You did that just to get a rise out of me didn't you?"

"Yep, and it worked I might add. God Michael, I don't think I've ever seen you so worked up over a woman before," she said, amazed. "What makes Maria so special?"

Michael shrugged. "I don't know, she just is."

Grinning, Isabel stood, walked over and sat beside him. She placed her hand on his arm. "Well," she started. "I approve of her. I think she's nice, beautiful, and totally perfect for you."

Michael nodded at the beautiful comment, then smiled. "Thanks sis, but I didn't need your approval."

"I know, I just thought I'd get my two cents in before Laurie." She laughed as she hugged him.

Michael nodded and as they separated, he watched Maria as she and Alex re-entered the living room, laughing and berated himself for getting jealous over their laughter. Alex was married to his sister but the adoring look he was giving Maria wasn't helping matters. 

Alex glanced over at Michael and noticed his uneasiness. Smiling to himself, he moved over to the couch and sat next to his wife, unconsciously slinging an arm around her waist to rest on her protruding stomach.  Leaning into Alex's embrace, Isabel sighed happily to herself and Maria watched the exchange with a smile on her face, desperately wishing that she would one day have that; not knowing that at that exact moment, Michael was wishing the same thing.

"We should leave now, I have to get Maria back to her house before her mom goes nut—ouch," Michael said clutching his stomach from where Maria had whacked him. 

"Don't talk about my mother that way, she won't go nuts just…she'll be worried."

Michael gave her a look as if to say 'same thing' to which Maria glared at him.

"Look, her only daughter has been away from her for a year with hardly any contact, she missed me and now that I'm back she wants to mother me while I'm here."

*~*~*~*

"Maria, why are you home so late dear? I was expecting you 15 minutes ago," Amy said as she opened the front door. "Michael, why are you back so late?"

Michael smiled smugly at Maria who was sifting through the mail. "Sorry Amy, Maria and Alex got to talking about music and well you know…" he trailed off and Amy nodded in understanding. Whenever music was mentioned around Maria her face would light up and she could talk about it for hours.

"What the hell?" Maria said loudly as she stared at the photos in her hands. Michael who had been startled, stood behind her to look over her shoulder then grabbed the photographs away from her. They were all black and white, enlarged and of Maria, in her home and at the quarry with Max. From the looks of it, some had been taken from the bushes outside of the Deluca residence. The first was of Maria taking off her coat in her room and the second of her taking off her shirt. When he came to a shot of Maria undressing her bottom half he started to blush and Maria snatched the photos away from him. "Perv," she muttered under her breath. 

Michael smiled. "Who, me or the stalker?"

"Both," she answered, then walked inside and sat at the kitchen table. "I thought…I just thought that by coming out here I'd get away from this. The last thing I expected was for it to follow me." She said quietly and Michael walked up behind her. Resting his hands on her shoulders he started to massage them, taking all the tension away as much as he could. He leant down beside her ear.

"I'll protect you, don't worry."

Maria smiled up at him in thanks and Amy watched from the doorway. At first she had been worried. Michael was the older, more experienced man and Maria… well Maria was her daughter, her younger daughter.  But when she looked at the two together, all the doubts and bad thoughts left her mind. She knew that Maria would be safe with Michael. Safe and happy and for those reasons, she was ok with it, well…with whatever _it_ was.

Jim and Kyle took that opportunity to walk into the kitchen then and saw the pictures sprayed on the table. Kyle asked Michael if they were from whom he thought and Michael nodded. The stalker had followed them. As he looked through the photographs, one in particular captured his attention. Lifting it, he showed Jim. "Does that view look familiar to you?" Jim glanced at the photo. Maria was standing by her car in front of a department store and as the picture had been taken from above, there was only one place it could have been taken.

"Yeah, there's that apartment block across the street where I used to live before moving in with Tess. It would have to have been taken from one of the units there."

Kyle looked towards Michael who nodded and moved towards the door. "We'll go and check it out. See if there are any suspicious names that have rented there or something. We'll be back later with what we can find out."

Maria stood and ran to the door grasping Michael's arm to turn him around. "Be careful," she said and Michael nodded, his arm tingling from the feeling over her skin in contact with his. Kyle pouted from behind the two.

"Do I get a 'Be careful'?"

Laughing, Amy walked up to him and pinched his cheeks. "Be careful darling." Michael chuckled as Kyle rubbed his now sore cheeks and glared at Maria who was uncontrollably giggling beside Michael. The two left and Maria and Amy went into the kitchen. 

"So Michael is a nice boy huh?"

Maria narrowed her eyes at her mother. "Mom…" she warned. 

Amy feigned an innocent look and started to put the dishes away. "What? I'm just saying that he's nice." She grabbed a glass and held it in her hand while pretending to think. "I bet he's good in bed too."

"Mom!" Maria gasped in shock. "God Mom, do you have to?" she said with a disgusted look on her face. It was one thing to have Michael's sister try to set them up but her mother? "Mom, he's like 6 years older than me, shouldn't you…I don't know…have a problem with it?" she yelled.

Laughing, Amy put the glass away and sat next to Maria at the table. "What does age have to do with anything dear? Look at me and Jim, there's 5 years between us and we don't mind. Plus, at least with Michael I know you'll be safe."

Maria rolled her eyes. "That's because he's my bodyguard Mom. Of course I'll be safe, that's why I hired him. You know, to keep me safe," she told her mother like she was a five-year-old.

"Not just with this stalker thing Maria, I mean in general. Michael would protect you with his life even if you weren't famous and had a stalker. I see the way he looks and you."

Maria was about to interrupt when Amy put her hand up to silence her. "And I see the way you look at him."

"I don't know what you're talking about Mom. I don't look at him in any special way and he doesn't with me. It's all your imagination," Maria said with a slight laugh unconvincingly. Had Michael really been looking at her like he wanted her?

Amy glanced at her daughter and knew that she had hit something by the way she could see the wheels turning in her head. "So I suppose that it's all in my imagination if I say that you two will be dating in no time."

Maria nodded. "Yes Mom, all in your imagination."

Amy smiled. "Well since it's all my imagination then I guess it's ok to imagine a few grandchildren while I'm at it."

Maria's jaw dropped in shock. "We haven't even kissed yet."

"Exactly, 'Yet'. You said yet so there's possibility there." Amy said trying to hide her grin caused from the look on Maria's face.

"You're delusional Mom, really," Maria said, shaking her head and Amy finally broke out into laughter.

"I only want you to be happy sweetie and I can tell that Michael could make you happy. Anyway, you should be glad that I approve of him."

Rolling her eyes, Maria stood from her chair and walked over to the sink, placing her mug in. "Mom, I don't need your approval."

"Oh yes you do. If I didn't like him so much then I would have scared him away and then where would you be?" Maria laughed and Amy stood and hugged her daughter. "I only want for you to be happy sweetie and if Michael can make you happy then I approve of him."

Maria sighed again. She didn't even know if Michael liked her as much as she liked him yet. What if he only saw her as a client? "Mom…" she trailed off and Amy kissed her forehead.

"Just don't rule anything out with him yet ok?" She saw Maria hesitate. "Promise me."

Maria finally nodded and Amy had to stop herself from squealing like a16-year-old. Even though she didn't want it to happen immediately, there was still hope for her to gain some grandchildren from her daughter. 

Maria stared at her mother who looked like she had zoned out. "Ok Mom, I'm off to bed I'll see you in the morning ok?" After getting no answer she patted her mothers arm and left the room with a small laugh. She still couldn't believe that her mother of all people was rooting for her to get some. Shaking her head she ascended the stairs. After dealing with two meddling women, she was exhausted. She just hoped that when she awoke that Michael and Kyle would have some good news for her. Like that maybe they had finally caught the stalker and she could get her life back to normal.

Back in the kitchen, Jim walked in to see his wife smiling while looking at nothing. "Amy?"

Snapping out of her thoughts she turned to Jim and smiled. "Hey, heard anything from Michael or Kyle yet?"

Jim shook his head. "Michael phoned me and told me they had reached the apartment complex and were about to question the landlord. They said not to wait up as they'll be awhile and that they'll tell us what they find in the morning."

Amy nodded and wrapped her arms around Jim's waist breathing in his scent. Jim kissed the top of her head. "What had you so happy before?"

Smiling, Amy turned her head up to meet his eyes. "Maria."

"Maria?" Jim asked confused.

Amy nodded. "Yes, my daughter will be giving me grandchildren soon. Isn't it great?" 

Jim scratched the back of his head. Maria was pregnant? "Huh?" Giggling at her husband, Amy moved away from him and headed towards the stairs to their room. Jim followed. "Amy?"

"Don't worry about it dear. It was just girl talk."

Jim furrowed his brows in confusion but nodded anyway. Those Deluca women were just confusing, but he loved them anyway. Sighing, he walked into their bedroom and hoped that his son and Michael could find something that would help Maria out and keep his family safe.

*~*~*~*

"So where's he gone to?" Michael asked when he re-entered the room. He and Kyle had arrived at the apartment blocks and while Kyle questioned the landlord he phoned Jim. 

"Just gone to get us the list and receipts of the people who have rented the apartments here," Kyle told him and watched as the landlord walked in the room with a few folders. He was surprised to find that the landlord was so willing to help, but then when you can promise him tickets to the next concert that Maria has in Roswell well…people would do anything.

The man handed Kyle the folders. "Here you go, they are the files on the most recent residents. No one looked particularly suspicious but there was one weird thing."

"What was that?" Michael asked as he looked over Kyle's shoulder at the files.

The guy scratched his chin. "Well, there were three people who rented apartments here on the same day and one of them, a woman looked liked she earned a lot of money. You know those types, business suit, expensive jewellery, great hair." Kyle nodded. Well, it's just when she rented the room, all I could think about was why would someone like that, rent an apartment here of all places?"

"What about the other two," Michael asked.

"Oh they seemed normal. They rented an apartment together, I think they were brother and sister; they rented it under his name. But as I said, pretty normal if you ask me. But I'd check out that lady if you were looking for suspicious characters." He told them. 

Kyle read the list of the newest residents. "Leanne Thompson, Bill Parker, Ken Smith, Mary Kline…"

"That's her," the landlord said. "Mary Kline, she's the business suit chick."

Michael stepped back and furrowed his brows. "Mary?" he remembered the conversation that took place on the first day in LA about the list that Liz and Maria had made up.

_"The first name we have is Mary. Who is Mary?"_

"Mary's one of our friends, a back up singer on the tour." Liz told him. Michael asked why she was on the grudge side. "Well I have overheard her tell a few people that she'd love to be where Maria is and would do anything she could to get it. I also heard from a few people that she has been saying a few bad words about Maria. She's one of those, 'Friends to your faces but stabs you in the back' type of people."

Kyle glanced at Michael and thought the same thing. This chick was the same Mary they had been talking about that day. "That's the same girl from the photo Maria showed me, let's go talk to her shall we?"

Michael nodded and they both thanked the landlord before finding the right apartment. Kyle knocked and they waited until a tall redhead answered the door in her nightwear.

"Hello?" she asked, confused as to why two guys were knocking on her door.

"Mary Kline?" Michael asked and the girl nodded. "My name is Michael Guerin and this is my partner Kyle Valenti. We're with the Roswell police and we would like to ask you a few questions. May we come in?"

The girl nodded and moved so the two could enter. 

"The Roswell Police?" Kyle whispered. "We aren't here for them."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Yeah but she doesn't know that does she?" Kyle nodded in understanding and they both sat on her couch as she went to fetch them a drink.

"So what can I help you with?" she asked as she sat on the one seater in front of them. 

"Are you a back up singer for Maria Deluca?" The woman nodded so Michael continued. "Well Ms. Deluca has been receiving threatening letters as of late."

Mary nodded as she sat back. "Yes I heard. I couldn't believe it." Michael glanced at Kyle who shrugged. "But what does that have to do with me?"

"We have it on good authority that you have certain…problems with Ms. Deluca. Like say, telling colleagues that you would do anything to get to where she is in her life," Kyle said, trying to sound as professional as he could. 

The girl dropped her jaw in shock. "You don't think…" she trailed off as she got tears in her eyes. "You don't think it's me do you? I could never."

"But you did say that did you not?" Michael asked.

The woman nodded hesitantly.

"Well Ms. Kline, that gives us a motive then doesn't it?"

"I know it seems bad but I didn't mean it like that. It's just, I have been trying for years to make it in this industry when all of a sudden while singing in a pizza place, Maria is discovered and is instantly famous. She has what I want. What I've always wanted. I was jealous of that and could admit to that. But I would never try to kill her. I admire her for what she has done."

"Well then what are you doing in Roswell around the same time that Ms. Deluca returns here and why, if you dress so finely according to the landlord, would you rent an apartment here?" Michael asked.

"Oh, well my father lives here in Roswell and he's sick so I came to take care of him. I can't afford to keep him in the home I placed him in so he's coming to live with me here. I grew up here, I was actually at school with Maria, and you can ask her. I'll show you my year book."

Kyle was about to tell her not to worry about it when she went to get it anyway.

"Here we go, see?" she pointed to a picture of herself. "Maria and I didn't hang out in the same group as I was a year a head of her so she may not have remembered that I went there. But I remembered her, she's a hard person to forget."

Michael nodded in understanding.

"But as for the apartment thing, well the only thing I can think of is that the day that I rented the apartment I was dressed in a suit because I had just came from an interview with a law firm as a secretary and if I wanted the job I couldn't go dressing in anything shabby now could I?"

Shaking his head, Kyle stood. "No you couldn't, if you can excuse us for one moment I would like to speak with my partner."

Mary nodded and headed off into the kitchen with the empty glasses.

"She seems genuine enough."

Michael sighed. "I know, everything seems to fit with her story too, at least with Courtney there was a weird feeling but I get nothing with her. But let's get someone to keep an eye out on her anyway, we'll get Pete on it."

Kyle nodded.

Michael turned to Mary as she re-entered the room. "Thankyou for your help Ms. Kline, we appreciate it."

"Oh it's no problem, I just hope that you find whoever it is that is after Maria," she said and led them to the door. 

"Us too," Kyle told her and waved good-bye as they left her apartment. As they headed for their car, they didn't see a figure watching them from a few doors down with a phone in their hands.

*~*~*~*

Placing the gasoline can on the ground, a person wearing all black sighed as their phone vibrated. "Hello? Yes I'm almost done, I'll see you in a few," they whispered before hanging up. Picking up the can, they walked around the outside of the house until they reached the back near the garage and started to splash the contents everywhere they could. Once finished, the person stepped back, took a lighter out of their pocket, flipped it open and dropped it, smiling as they watched one side of the garage burst into flames.

"Let's see you make it out of this alive." 

*~*~*~*

Beep…Beep…Beep 

Jim woke with a start when he heard the smoke alarm go off and immediately grabbed Amy and ran down the stairs and out of the house. He glanced towards the side where he could see flames and smoke. "Oh god, Amy the house is on fire."

Looking at the flames in horror, Amy looked around and saw that the neighbours had come out of there houses to see what the fuss was about and heard someone say that they were calling the fire brigade. Suddenly a thought struck her as one side of the house blew up in flames, the side of the house that contained Maria's bedroom.

"Where's Maria?" she asked frantically while looking at Jim. Jim paled and looked back at the house as Amy broke down in tears. "Oh god," she cried. "Maria's still in there."

TBC…


	7. Chapter seven

Chapter seven 

"So that was useless," Kyle surmised as they drove back to Jim and Amy's house.

Michael turned into the street and nodded. "Yeah I guess. At least we can cross off that chick's name from the list though." He slowed down when he saw that Fire Trucks had closed off the part of the street that Amy and Jim lived on. "What in the hell is all this?" he asked no one in particular as he stopped the car a few houses away. He and Kyle both stepped out of the car and Kyle looked on in horror as the back of his parents home went up in flames.

"Dad," he whispered then ran over to where his father and Amy were standing, Michael following.

"Ma'am, ma'am, step away please," an officer asked Amy as she tried to get out of Jim's tight grasp to run back into the house.

"No," she screamed. "My daughter is still in there." 

Michael's eyes widened when he heard Amy then ignored the calls for him to come back as he bolted into the smoke filled house. "Maria," he yelled. "Maria can you hear me?" He climbed the stairs slowly and covered his mouth with his shirt as the smoke became thicker. "Maria?" he tried again and ran towards her room when he just barely heard his name being called.

*~*~*~*

Maria shot straight up in her bed when she heard the fire alarms go off. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes then tried opening them but could hardly see anything as the smoke had engulfed her room completely. She started to cough as she fell from the bed and started to crawl towards the door but then backed away when the timber felt hot and suddenly started to burn. 

She felt around herself until she came across a shirt on the floor and covered her mouth with it so she wouldn't breathe in much more of the smoke. As she backed herself into the corner of her room, she could faintly hear her name being called from somewhere in the house and recognised the voice to be Michael's. "Michael?" she yelled as loud as she could.

*~*~*~*

Michael ran to her door but backed away when the flames became too intense. He heard her call out his name more frantically and decided to take his chances. He backed away as far as he could, then ran full speed towards her door, breaking it open. 

"Maria," he called out.

"Michael," he heard over by the corner. 

His eyes started to water from the stinging sensation but her could just make out her figure crouched in the corner. "Maria, baby we have to get out of here now," he yelled as he ran towards her. Maria nodded and stood but her legs gave out beneath her. Luckily Michael had caught her before she could fall and lifted her into his arms. She circled her arms around his neck as he looked around the room. 

The door was engulfed in flames and they were on the second floor of the house so it was too far to jump out a window. He glanced over at the door and realised that he once again had to brave the flames and charged towards the door, running straight through it, not realising that his elbow had hit the door and his shirt had caught on fire. 

He ran onto the front lawn with Maria still in his arms when out of nowhere he felt Maria being taken off him and himself being pushed to the ground. "Michael you're on fire," he could hear Kyle yell as a blanket was thrown over him. Michael looked at his now burned arm and swore as the pain increased. Why was it that it didn't hurt until he looked at it?

"Michael, you okay man?" Kyle asked.

Michael nodded, still a little dazed. "Yeah." Kyle sighed in relief then hit him upside the head. Michael winced then faced Kyle with a scowl. "What the bloody hell was that for?" he yelled.

"You could have been killed going in there, you idiot."

"Yeah well, so could Maria." He looked at Kyle and shrugged. "I wasn't really caring about me when I ran in there. Maria was my first and only concern." 

Kyle looked at his partner with a newfound respect. When he had heard his mother say that Maria was still inside, he too wanted to race in but Jim had held him back. The fact that Michael went in when he didn't have to said a lot about the man who stood next to him. Kyle knew in that moment that Michael would never do anything that would hurt his sister and knew that she'd be safe with him. He supposed it was about time to lay off the two 'could be' lovebirds. 

"Thanks man," he said and patted Michael's back. Michael shrugged him off with a small smile then was ushered towards an ambulance to be checked upon with Maria as the firemen assessed the damage that the fire had done. 

"You ok?" Maria asked as Michael sat in the ambulance while a paramedic looked at his wounds. She herself was getting checked out for excess smoke inhalation. Michael nodded and she saw him wince when the woman poked at his burn. "Michael, you were hurt saving me," she whispered sadly.

Michael snapped his head in her direction when he heard the sad tinge to her voice. "Maria," he said sternly. "I would have done it again in an instant, don't blame yourself for this." He held up his arm and almost immediately was told to put it down so the woman could inspect it more. "I've gotten hurt worse than this before, it's no big deal. All that's important is that you are okay, and you are right?" Maria nodded, a smile gracing her features. "Good," he said then glared at the paramedic who told him to keep still.

"Thank you," Maria said softly as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. She then stood and headed out of the ambulance when she was told that she was fine. Michael watched as she handed back over the blanket to one of the drivers who then asked for her autograph.

"Mr Guerin could you please stop moving," the paramedic said with a frustrated sigh.

Michael took his arm out of the paramedic's grasp. "I'm fine, it's just a small burn, nothing big. I'm good to go," he said then stepped out of the ambulance and headed towards a policeman who was talking to Maria, Jim, Kyle and Amy. "What's going on?"

The policeman sighed and ran a hand through his hair when he took his hat off. "It looks to be arson. We found a gasoline can next to the back shed. It's looks to be that the target was specifically the back of the house near the garage and whatever room was above it."

Maria paled at his words. "Oh god," she choked out. "That's my room," she said as her legs lost feeling and she fell to the ground. Michael crouched down and gathered the small woman in his arms and started to rock her gently to calm her down. "This is all my fault," she whispered.

"Why do you say that?" Amy asked softly as she kneeled down next to the couple and ignored the flash of cameras behind them. 

"I have some sort of stalker/killer after me. If I hadn't come here then this wouldn't have happened," she said, trying to hold in her sobs. Michael tightened his hold on her and kissed the crown of her head as he looked at Amy.

Amy could feel tears prick her eyes at Maria's statement. "No baby, this isn't your fault. Jim and I certainly don't blame you so you can't blame yourself either." Michael puled back slightly allowing Amy to pull her daughter into her arms. "It wasn't your fault." Maria nodded but was still unconvinced. 

"Could you get them out of here?" Kyle yelled at the policemen to try to get them to get rid of the growing numbers of the press. "This is going to be on every front page tomorrow morning," he muttered then looked at Jim and Amy. "And with my family all in their sleepwear." He shook his head then headed towards them. "I called Tess and she's making up the room for you and Mom," he said then glanced towards Maria. "We can make up the couch for you."

Amy shook her head. "She can't sleep on a couch after what she has been through," she said, looking at Michael with a mischievous smile. "Michael you have a spare room, Maria can stay with you can't she?"

Maria couldn't believe she was hearing this. Even in a life or death situation Amy was still trying to be the matchmaker.

"Yeah that's no problem," Michael said, standing and helping Maria to her feet.

"No you just wait there young man," the paramedic from before said as she headed towards him. "You are not going anywhere until we have that burn properly checked out." Michael groaned and was about to bite the poor woman's head off when Maria stepped forward.

"Ma'am, the burn is not that bad, and you know that he's not going to go with you, so if you just give me the cream and bandages or whatever to put on it, I'll make sure it's properly wrapped and everything." 

The woman eyed Maria then finally nodded. "Fine on one condition."

Maria nodded. "Anything," she said then gave a small laugh when the woman asked for an autograph for her daughter. 

*~*~*~*

"It's not much but it's home," Michael said as he opened the door. 

Maria gasped as she stepped inside. Definitely not what she expected. His apartment was clean for one thing and nicely decorated. "Nice place," she said in wonder as she looked around.

Rolling his eyes, Michael placed her bags on the floor. "Isabel picked out the furniture and it's not usually this clean but Laurie was over yesterday and cleaned it. She always does when she comes over. I think she has some sort of fetish for cleaning. It's frightening really," he said and Maria laughed.

She glanced over at the man who had saved her life and smiled. She walked towards him, grabbed the bag that the paramedic had given her and pulled him towards where he had said the bathroom was. She walked over to the sink and jumped up on the bench, her legs swung over the side. She reached out and grabbed Michael's hand to bring him to stand in between her legs. 

Michael watched mesmerized as she took off his shirt and placed his arm over her thigh then poured sufficient amounts of creme into her hands. She picked up his arm and started to massage the cream into the burn lightly as not to hurt him and smiled when she heard him give out a small moan. 

"I want to thank you again for saving my life," she said and caressed his cheek with her other hand." 

Smiling, Michael covered her hand with his free one. "I would do it again you know. I'd protect you with my life Maria." He said it so sincerely that Maria could feel the tears spring to her eyes. She couldn't believe that he could be so sweet, so caring. 

Not able to stand being so close to him and not doing anything about it, Maria took the initiative and leaned in, brushing her lips against his. As she went to pull away, Michael brought his head back down for a passionate kiss. They both moaned when there tongues finally collided and wondered how they had waited so long to do this. Maria wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him closer to her. Michael grasped her thighs and started to slide her off the bench. He backed up, holding her to his body as he headed towards his room that was connected. They both fell to the bed in a tangle of arms and legs and Maria giggled when Michael smiled shyly down at her. 

"Are you sure?" he asked knowing that if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to stop himself later. Maria nodded and they kissed once again as clothing was slowly removed and the sound of slapping flesh and breathy moans were the only things that could be heard throughout the apartment.

*~*~*~*

The tall dark figure stood leaning up against the streetlight watching as the two bodies embraced and the lights flickered out. He glared at the window of the apartment as he flipped out his phone and dialled, waiting for the other person to pick up. After five rings they finally did so. 

"We strike at first light," he said into the phone then hung up. Lighting a cigarette, he headed off towards the 24-hour café up the road. He had a few hours before the plan could finally begin to start. 

*~*~*~*

"I can't believe we just did that while we are still covered in the smoke and soot from the fire," Maria laughed as she turned in his arms to face him. 

Michael raised his eyebrow. "I didn't hear you complaining before," he said with a smile and Maria whacked him lightly on the chest. He chuckled and captured her smaller hand in his. "That was incredible," he whispered as he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.

Maria nodded in agreement. "Yes it was, but I still need a shower," she said as she started to get up. Michael groaned from the loss of her body heat but then saw the sly look on her face. "Care to join me?" she asked and he watched as she stood from the bed, still naked, and headed towards the bathroom. He heard the shower start and Maria call his name. Who was he to keep her waiting?

After an interesting shower, the two finally made it back to bed with both lying on their side and Michael spooning Maria from behind. He kissed her forehead and tightened his arms around her waist. "Night," he whispered. Maria muttered the same sentiment back and Michael smiled knowing that she was well on her way into the land of dreams. He closed his eyes, hoping to join her. 

*~*~*~*

Michael shot out up wide awake when he heard something crash from inside his apartment. Maria stirred from beside him and opened her eyes. "Michael?" she asked groggily. He put his fingers to his lips in a 'shush' motion and she nodded, confused then her eyes widened when they heard another crash and what sounded like someone swearing. Michael was glad that they had gotten somewhat dressed when they had returned from the shower.

He was wearing sweatpants and she wore one of his shirts and some panties. As he went to climb of the bed, Maria grasped his arm. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "You can't go out there."

Michael caressed her cheek. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. It's probably just some burglar that forgot an ex-cop lived here. Wait here and don't move," he said as he walked towards the door. Before he could open it however, whoever it was that had been on the other side, had already opened it and in walked two people dressed in black with balaclavas on. 

As one went to grab Maria, the other took out there gun and shot Michael in the shoulder. "Michael!" Maria screamed as she punched the person who had grabbed her and ran to her lover. "Michael?" she asked shaking him slightly. The one who had shot him walked over to her and grabbed her hair.

"You're coming with us," the muffled voice said and started dragging her out of the room. Maria got a hold of their wrist and started clawing at them to let her go. She managed to get a hold of something but it broke and fell to the floor. "F-ucking b-itch," they yelled then yanked at her hair again. 

The other person walked towards Michael and kneeled down next to him. Michael grabbed at his shoulder, the pain becoming unbearable. He started to get up; wanting to go after Maria but the person next to him pushed him back to the ground then stuck a needle in his arm. "This," the gruff voice said, "will knock you out for a few hours. By then we and your little f-uck bunny will be out of here." 

The last thing Michael saw before the blackness became his sight was Maria being lifted over the shoulder of the person who had given him the needle as they hauled her out of the room.

TBC…


	8. Chapter eight

Chapter eight 

****

****

The first sound he heard was an annoying beep coming from beside him. He moved his arm to find the alarm so he could turn it off but found that his arm felt rather heavy. He opened his eyes a little and groaned when the events from a few hours before had re-entered his mind. It wasn't his alarm he had been hearing as he turned to look at the weird machine placed beside his bed. It was something he had been hooked up to, obviously monitoring his heartbeat. 

"How are you feeling?"

Michael snapped his head towards Kyle who he hadn't noticed before. He was sitting beside his bed with a concerned expression on his face.

"Maria," was all that Michael had managed to crock out. "Where's Maria?"

Kyle pursed his lips together. "We don't know," he said softly. "I have a team scouting out your apartment and looking for evidence right now. I would have been there sooner but it took someone next door two hours to call the police about a disturbance. When I walked in, I found you on the floor pooled in your own blood and no sign of Maria."

Sitting up a little, Michael nodded then winced from the pain in his shoulder. "We were sleeping when I heard a noise, something breaking, and so I got up to see what it was when someone dressed in black entered the room and shot me. Then another one came in and grabbed Maria. I saw them fighting and as I went to get up, the one who shot me walked over and injected me with something. I don't remember what happened after that." 

"The doctors haven't told me yet what was injected into your system. They took some tests but said that it would take some time to get the results back." Kyle rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. He hadn't slept since he had gotten the call from his friend at the station telling him to get to Michael's. He'd been so worried, not only for Michael's survival, but for his sister's as well. 

"Well we can't sit here and wait, we need to leave now in case there was something that the team missed when checking over my place," Michael said, starting to move from the bed.

Kyle shook his head and gently pushed Michael back onto the bed, being wary of the bandage over his wound. "No way Michael, you were shot and poisoned, you need rest. They won't let you out of here anyhow." 

"Then we break out," Michael shrugged and Kyle shook his head again but before he could argue, Michael rolled out of the bed, ignoring the searing pain in his shoulder as he found his clothes. "Kyle, don't argue with me on this, Maria's life is at stake."

Kyle thought about it for a second before nodding. It may be wrong, but Michael was right, Maria needed them and the longer that Michael was in there, the longer Maria was in trouble. "Fine, but don't complain to me when you'll never be able to move your shoulder again," he muttered and Michael chuckled.

As Michael pulled off the hospital gown and grabbed his button up shirt, Kyle noticed a bruise on Michael's neck and angry red scratch marks running down his back. "What in the hell happened to you Michael? What'd you do? Wrestle the guy before he shot you?" Michael blushed as he buttoned up his shirt and reached for his pants and Kyle paused, getting angrier with every second. "You took advantage of my sister?" he yelled.

"No," Michael said, trying to calm himself. He knew that Kyle was just looking out for his sister but to assume the worst of him was not something that he took too well. "I would never take advantage of any woman. I can't believe that you of all people would think that low of me. I asked her if it was what she wanted and she assured me that it was. If she had said no or if I had suspected a hint of hesitancy, I would have stopped."

Kyle started to feel bad as he listened to his partner. "Yeah I know. I'm sorry man."

"I know that you're only looking out for her Kyle, but she's a grown woman who can make her own decisions," Michael said, buckling his belt and slipping his foot into his shoe. 

"Just don't hurt her ok?"

Michael nodded and Kyle suddenly felt better. He knew that Michael would never intentionally hurt her but she was his sister and he had to make sure that Michael was the kind of guy that she should be with. As the two men snuck out of the room and headed down the corridor, Kyle asked, "Michael, what's going to happen when she goes back to LA?"

*~*~*~*

Maria opened her eyes groggily and wished that someone would turn out the lights. She had a massive headache that didn't seem to want to go away. She tried to move her arms but found that she couldn't and glanced up to see that she had been bound to what seemed like some sort of small cot. She tugged on the rope but stopped when she felt it tighten around her wrists. Sighing, she glanced around the furniture-less apartment and spotted someone by the window. He eyes widened when she finally realised who it was.

"You," she whispered and the person turned and smiled at her. "You…you were the one sending me all those things, you were the one who set my parents house on fire…you shot Michael. Why?" Maria asked with tears in her eyes. She wondered what she had done to make this person she considered her friend do such things to her. 

"You want to know why?" the brunette spat out. "Max, that's why."

Maria furrowed her brows together. "Max?" she said, confused. "What does Max have to do with anything?"

"For years I have been in love with Max Evans. He was the light of my life, my reason for living, but you took that away from me. The only person I cared about and you took him away."

"I didn't know, I swear I didn't know," Maria cried. "Max came to my house one afternoon and told me how he felt about me and I felt the same, I didn't do it to hurt you, if I had of known…"

She was cut off by the painful slap of her kidnapper's hand against her face. "I'm not finished yet," she growled out and Maria stayed silent.

"So you two date and he only sees me as his girlfriend's best friend, but then you dump him." The brunette gave a shout of hysterical laughter. "You had the perfect guy and you dump him, how stupid can you be? But that didn't really matter to me so much at the time. All that did was the fact that Max was now a free man and in need of a friend. So I played that part. I consoled him, I listened to him cry over you, talk about how perfect he thought you were, how he didn't understand why you broke it off, how he loved you," she spat out. "I helped him get over it, helped him to realise that there was more to his life than you, and at one point I actually thought that he was going to ask me out, that he had finally taken off his blinders and seen me as something more than a friend…but then what happens? You come back into the picture and bring that blond b-itch with you. You ruined any chance I had with Max…again!"

Maria listened to the story with tears in her eyes and shook her head. "If I had of known," she whispered but was once again cut off by a loud slap and she cried out in pain when she could taste blood in her mouth. 

"Don't give me that bull s-hit Maria, you f-ucked it all up." Maria closed her eyes in fear as the woman pulled a knife from her jeans and held it to Maria's throat. "You screwed it all up and for that you will pay." She applied pressure to Maria's throat, enough to make a small cut and watched in delight as a trickle of blood slid down Maria's ivory coloured neck.

"Ah, ah, ah," a voice who had been watching the entire scene warned from the shadows. "Don't kill her darling, I want her alive." 

She pulled the knife away from Maria's throat and stood, slowly backing away from Maria. She knew that she couldn't kill the blond but wanted to so badly.

"Who are you?" Maria asked, squinting her eyes in the direction the voice came from. It sounded so familiar but she couldn't place it or see who it belonged to. 

The man in the shadows smiled. "That's nothing you need to know right now sweetheart," he said with a small laugh. Maria watched as the woman walked over to the shadow-covered corner and tried to hear what was being mumbled.

"I need to leave for a while to see that everything else is in order but I'll be back. If you hurt her in anyway…" he trailed off making his threat crystal clear. The brunette nodded and the man turned to leave. When the door slammed shut the woman faced Maria once more.

"You're lucky," she sneered. 

Maria pulled again on the ropes and whimpered when it was useless. "Please don't do this, I'm sorry for what I did but please let me go," she pleaded.

The woman shook her head. "No, I want revenge and will do everything I can to get it. I will ruin your career, take your money and live the life I was supposed to with Max. Everything will be perfect, and you'll be dead."

"You can never have Max," Maria told her. "Have you forgotten that he is in love with Laurie and they are getting married?"

"I'll have Max," the woman said confidently. "I'll have him once Laurie's out of the picture."

Maria paused. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, getting more and more frightened by the minute. She prayed that Michael was okay and would come to find her soon. 

Smiling evilly, the brunette showed Maria her gun that she pulled from her leg. "You figure it out."

Maria's jaw dropped in shock. "You sick b-itch." 

The woman laughed then punched Maria hard in the jaw, loving the way the blond cried out in pain from the repeated lashing to that side of her face. "I would advise you _not_ to insult the person who wants to kill you."

*~*~*~*

Michael walked out of the bedroom even more frustrated than he had been before. "Nothing," he yelled. He and Kyle had been searching the apartment for half an hour and still had yet to come up with any sort of evidence as to who had taken Maria.

"We'll get her back," Kyle assured him. 

Michael sighed and sat down on his couch, putting his head in his hands. He ran his hand through his hair then over his face. He was missing something; he just knew that there was something he had missed. He sat back on the couch and was about to close his eyes when something shiny caught his eyes. The sunlight from the window had reflected on something underneath the table that was placed just outside his bedroom door. 

He got up and walked over, crouching down to pick up the object and gasped when he realised what it was and whom it belonged to.

_"Nice bracelet."_

_Startled, Liz looked up at him. "Ah yeah, my brother bought it for me a few years ago. I never take it off," she said as she pulled her sleeve back down._

Michael held the bracelet up so Kyle could see it. Kyle's eyes widened and they both whispered, "Liz."

Kyle couldn't believe that Michael had been right all along, that Liz, Maria's best friend and manager, would want to kill his sister. He sat down numbly on the coffee table then shifted when he felt his phone poking him in his side. He fished around in his pockets for it when his fingers skimmed past a piece of paper, which he pulled out.

"What is it?" Michael asked as Kyle unfolded it and shrugged.

"Oh it's that list that the landlord gave us when we were checking out that Mary chick," he said as he refolded the paper.  Before he could pocket it, Michael snatched it out of his hands. "Hey, if you wanted it, all you had to do was ask."

Michael ignored him as he read down the list. "Bill Parker," he said and Kyle stared at him blankly. Michael rolled his eyes. "An apartment was rented under the name of Bill Parker." Kyle shrugged his shoulders in confusion and Michael wondered how he ever became a cop. "Bill Parker… Parker… Liz Parker, Kyle the apartment was rented by Liz."

Finally understanding what Michael was going on about, Kyle stood and took the list. "Right, we'll go and I'll call my Dad on the way for back up." Michael nodded and they headed out the door but Kyle stopped and faced him. "Wait, didn't you say there were two of them?"

"Yeah but if we get Liz, then we'll get the other too." Kyle nodded and they ran for the car as Kyle whipped out his phone.

*~*~*~*

"You can't kill Laurie, what has she ever done to you?" Maria asked then turned her head to the side to spit out the blood that had formed in her mouth. She was beginning to feel a little dizzy. The cut that Liz had made on her neck may have been tiny but Maria could tell that it must have been deep; she could still feel the blood slide down her neck. 

Liz laughed and cleaned her knife off with a rag. "Oh yes I can, but first," she said as she walked back over to Maria and kneeled beside her, "but first, I have to get rid of you."

Maria's eyes widened and she struggled against the ropes that were cutting into her skin. "You can't kill me, that guy said that he didn't want me hurt."

"When have I ever listened to…" she stopped herself short before she revealed who her partner in crime was. If there were a chance that she was found out about, she couldn't let her partner go down with her. No, he had to stay on to finish the job. She stood and held the gun out in front of her, pointing it straight at Maria's head.

"Let's just say that I don't like being told what to do." She cocked the gun and a loud boom was heard throughout the apartment.

TBC…


	9. Chapter nine

**Chapter nine**

Maria screamed as the bullet flew past her head and hit the wall beside her, making the plaster crumble and fall on the cot next to her body. She watched in horror as Kyle wrestled Liz to the ground then slammed his fist into her face, knocking her out cold by the front door.

Michael ran over to the cot and started to untie her hands from their confines. "Maria, are you okay?" he asked hurriedly. He winced when he saw the red marks on her wrists and cursed himself for not piecing the clues together sooner. 

Seeing the look on his face, Maria shook her head. "No, don't you do that Michael. Do not blame yourself for any of this."

"If I had of…" Maria cut him off as she held her free hand to his lips.

"If you had of nothing, Michael. All that matters now is that I am fine, a little hurt, but fine, and that you and Kyle got here just in time." A tear slid down her face when Michael caressed the bruise forming on her left cheek. "Ouch," she said softly and gave a small laugh.

Michael moved his head closer and tenderly kissed the side of her jaw. "Sorry," he whispered. Maria smiled as he looked into her eyes and pulled her other hand free. 

She brought it up and ran her hand through his hair. "How are you feeling?" she glanced at his shoulder then frowned. "Shouldn't you be in the hospital?"

Rolling his eyes when Kyle smiled smugly at him, Michael shook his head. "Rescuing you was more important." Maria couldn't help but smile at that but made a mental note to yell at him for breaking out of hospital later. Michael kissed her forehead lovingly. "I love you," he whispered.

Maria pulled back a little in shock. "You love me?" she asked. 

"Can I be sick?" Kyle asked as he leaned against the wall. Maria glared at her brother then faced Michael again as he nodded.

"Yeah, I love you, and I'll never let anything or anyone hurt you again," he promised as he hugged her tightly to his body. 

Maria smiled as she fully accepted his hug and snuggled her head into the crook of his neck. "I love you too," she whispered and Michael couldn't stop the huge grin that swept over his face.

As the two moved to kiss each other passionately, Kyle turned away. He did not want to see his sister and his partner making out. Listening to the two talk about their feelings for one another was one thing but seeing them kiss…he just wasn't ready for that.

Because he had turned his back and Michael and Maria were off in there own little world, no one had seen Liz slowly come too and quietly reach for her gun. She sat up off the ground and held it back out in front of her and pointed it at Maria's back. As her finger found the trigger she smiled. "Die bit--" she fell to the ground before she could finish the sentence.

Maria jumped in shock when she heard another gun go off and all in the room turned to the door where they saw Jim Valenti holding his gun out. Maria looked from Jim to where Liz's body lay and started to cry. "Oh god," she sobbed and buried her head in Michael's chest. Liz was now lying face down while blood poured out of the wound in her back. 

Giving his father a curt nod, Kyle wiped the sweat off his brow. "Hey Dad."

"Hey Son," Jim said as he and a few of his men walked into the room. "Michael, you should get Maria out of here." Michael nodded and helped Maria to stand. He thought for a moment how romantic and picturesque it would have been for him to carry her out of the room like a hero but that was out of the question considering he'd been shot and his shoulder was killing him so he had to settle for wrapping his good arm around her shoulder and holding her close as he walked her out of the room and to the awaiting car outside. 

Kyle turned to his father. "We don't have anything on who else was in on this with her do we?" he frowned as he motioned towards Liz. Jim shook his head. "We'll see what we can get from this place then try to track them down, we can't let whoever it was get away with this." Jim agreed and the two headed out of the apartment, making way for the team of officers and paramedics to do away with Liz's body.

*~*~*~*

He stood behind a tree across the road and watched in horror as Liz was wheeled away in a body bag and put in the back of an ambulance. It wasn't supposed to be like this, she wasn't supposed to die. He glared when he saw the object of his affection in the arms of her saviour and vowed that if it were the last thing he'd do, he would kill Michael Guerin. A tear rolled down his face as he walked away from the scene. 

*~*~*~*

**3 months later**

Michael stood nervously by the refreshments as he watched his girlfriend talk with their friends. They were celebrating Maria's new album that had hit the stands earlier that day. Since the whole ordeal with Liz, Maria had remained in Roswell taking a much-needed break from all the drama that had suddenly found its way into her life. But that one month turned into two, which led to three, and Maria had finally decided just to stay in Roswell. 

Roswell had its own recording studio provided by the one Alex Whitman who was now Maria's new producer and manager so Maria thought that it would be easier if she stayed to finish her album. That way, she could work on her new songs in peace, and be with Michael. If she needed to tour or do any promotional work then she would leave Roswell for that amount of time, but it was decided that Michael would always go with her. Not only as her over protective boyfriend, but as her bodyguard. 

Michael watched on as Maria laughed with Max and Laurie. Since Liz's betrayal, Maria and Max had grown closer. When she had told him about Liz's obsession, Max couldn't believe it and blamed himself for everything to which Maria then put him straight with a swift whack upside the head. She had told him that she was sick and tired of people blaming themselves. If she wasn't allowed to blame herself then no one could either, simply stating that it was no one's fault, and that Liz was a complete nut. 

He was broken out of his thoughts when Kyle clapped him on the back. "Hey Man," he greeted. "So when are you going to do it?" he asked. 

Michael shrugged. "I don't know, what if she says no?" He was worried that she would turn him down flat and didn't know what he'd do if she did. The only thing he had come up with so far if that were to happen was to handcuff her to his bed until she finally agreed.

"She won't say no," Kyle told him and Michael nodded then a smile crossed his face as he only just remembered something. Kyle looked at Michael, getting a little worried. Whenever Michael smiled like that it was never good. "What?" he asked.

"You know what the good thing that came out of this mess was? Not only did I finally find the woman of my dreams, but I won the bet," he said smugly.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Like you'd stay away from her if I had won it anyway." Michael nodded and Kyle scoffed. "Thought so."

"Got any new leads yet?" Michael asked as he took a sip of his beer. Since the incident, he, Kyle and Jim had been trying their best to find the other culprit but with hardly any evidence to go by, it was proving difficult. All they had managed to scrape from the apartment they rented were a few stray hairs and the results from the DNA test came back inconclusive. 

Kyle shook his head. "No not yet, but we're interviewing Liz's father tomorrow, maybe he can help us in finding out who Liz associated with." So far Liz's family had been of no help. Her mother and father divorced a few years back and her mother was not that forthcoming with any news of her late daughter while her older brother, Billy, was MIA. Apparently no one had seen or heard from him since he left Roswell the year that Maria and Liz had finished high school. 

Michael had been quick to suspect Billy, after all, his name was used to rent the apartment that Liz used, but when showed a photo, the landlord said that it wasn't the man that Liz had entered with. Maria had also said that it couldn't have been Billy as she and him were good friends and she would know his voice from anywhere.  The man in the room did not sound like him. Michael still had his suspicions but kept them to himself. Until he had concrete evidence, there was nothing much he could do.

"I'm going to find Maria," Michael said after a while. 

"Good luck," Kyle yelled and then went to find his own wife. Suddenly he felt the need to hold her.

Michael found her over by the counter sitting on one of the stools. Her celebratory dinner was being held in their apartment. After the fiasco with Liz, and while her room at her parents house was being rebuilt, it was decided by all that she should just live with Michael for the time being, but when it came time to move out, she found that she couldn't so she moved in permanently. Michael slid his arms around her waist and stood behind her as he nuzzled her neck. 

"Having fun?" he asked softly and she nodded, leaning into his touch. "Good."

"Get a room," Laurie yelled as she walked over towards the couple with her sister. Isabel giggled when Michael threw them both a glare.

"We have a room, a few in fact," Michael said and went back to what he had been doing, fully intent on ignoring his sisters. 

Maria pushed him gently away from his ministrations on her neck and giggled when he growled in frustration. "Later baby," she told him with a pat on the cheek. "When we don't have a room full of guests." 

Michael suddenly smiled and decided that now was a good a time as any. "Speaking of a room full of guests," he said to her then turned towards everyone, raising his voice a few octaves. "May I have everyone's attention please?" The room quietened down so he continued. "Thank you. The reason we are all gathered here is in celebration of Maria's new album that hit the stands today."

Everyone cheered and Maria could feel her cheek redden. She smiled as Michael kissed her forehead and walked in front of her. 

"But there is also another reason why I asked you all here. I had actually intended on doing this in private but then thought that if I did it in the company of others, including her mother," he smiled at Amy who laughed, "and my sisters, that she couldn't say no."

The crowd gasped and Maria sat in shock as Michael faced her and got down on one knee. He fished through his pockets until he found the small black velvet box and opened it. In it was a small, silver ring embedded with rows of diamonds, every second stone being an emerald. "Michael," she whispered as she fingered the ring.

"Maria, since the first day that I saw you at your house I knew that you were the woman for me. You may piss me off to no end sometimes, but I know in my heart that I will always love you and only you forever. Will you marry me?"

The guests all stilled in motion and silence, awaiting her answer. Maria glanced at the ring again then looked into Michael's eyes and smiled as a tear escaped her eye. "Yes," she whispered. 

Michael gave a relieved burst of laughter as he stood and lifted her into his arms and twirled her around in a circle. Once she was placed on the ground and able to stand, Michael lifted her left hand and placed the ring on her finger. "Do you like it?" he asked worried that she didn't.

"Of course I do," she said then kissed him for all she was worth. The guests all cheered as they kissed and started to clap. Jim, Kyle, Alex and Max all held their partners as they cried with joy that the two had finally gotten themselves together. 

Maria smiled as she pulled away from his lips. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he said, mating their foreheads together. 

Maria pulled back slightly. "I have a surprise for you too," she said then walked off towards the far corner of the room where he hadn't before noticed that a microphone lay as well as a CD player. She stood behind the microphone and breathed deeply as everyone in the room turned to look at her.

"Hi, well I had planned to do this as a thankyou to you all for coming but have decided that instead, I will sing the song that I dedicated to my boy…sorry, fiancé." She motioned for Alex to turn the music on as she locked eyes with her future husband.

I wake up in the morning

Put on my face

The one that's gonna get me

Thought another day

Doesn't really matter

How I feel inside

This life is like a game sometimes

Then you came around me

The walls just disappeared

Nothing to surround me

Keep me from my fears

I'm unprotected

See how I've opened up

You've made me trust

I've never felt like this before

I'm naked around you does it show?

You see right through me 

And I can't hide

I'm naked around you

And it feels so right

Trying to remember

Why I was afraid

To be myself

And let the covers fall away

Guess I never had someone like you

To help me fit inside my skin

I've never felt like this before

I'm naked around you does it show?

You see right through me 

And I can't hide

I'm naked around you

And it feels so right

She finished the song and placed the microphone back on its stand then walked towards the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. "What'd you think?" she asked shyly.

"It was beautiful," he said truthfully. She smiled as everyone on the room cheered once more for the happy couple that had found love under the strangest of circumstances. 

**Epilogue**

He sat and stared at the scenery that passed swiftly by the window of his cabin on the train. After attending his sister's funeral, he had decided to leave Roswell and wait a while before starting his plan for revenge against the man who had ruined it all. Michael Guerin. If it weren't for him, he and Liz would be off somewhere living the high life while he would be making Maria love him on the side. 

He fingered the photo that he held in his hand of Maria. He had taken it while they were in high school, before she had gone out with Max, before she had left to pursue her career. He would have her one way or another, but before he could, he had to get rid of Michael Guerin. Michael killed his sister and had taken away the love of his life. For that, he must die.

The End… for now anyway. 

The next instalment in the trilogy will be called: 'Doing it for love', so look out for it to see what happens next. 

_I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed this fic. I appreciate it. -Sarah_


End file.
